To Retest vs Retesting Infinitives & Gerunds

When and How to Use Each Expression?

Get a sense of when and how each expression can be used through the following examples!

To retest (Infinitive)

Purpose or Intention: Use the infinitive "to retest" when you want to express a purpose, intention, desire, or potential action

Example

I need to retest my knowledge before the final exam.

Retesting (Gerund)

Activity or Experience: Use the gerund "retesting" when you want to refer to the activity itself or the experience as a noun.

Example

Retesting is necessary to ensure accuracy.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To retest (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To retest is necessary for accurate results.

  To retest is necessary for accurate results.

  • "*To retest*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + adjective phrase (necessary for accurate results).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to retest my hypothesis.

  She wants me to retest my hypothesis.

  • "Me *to retest* my hypothesis" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (She) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to retest* my hypothesis).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  I have a strong desire to retest my theory.

  I have a strong desire to retest my theory.

  • "*To retest* my theory" modifies the noun "desire."
  • Noun (I) + verb (have) + noun phrase (a strong desire *to retest* my theory).

Retesting (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Retesting helps identify errors in the data.

  Retesting helps identify errors in the data.

  • "*Retesting*" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (helps) + noun phrase (identify errors in the data).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy retesting my knowledge to reinforce concepts.

  I enjoy retesting my knowledge to reinforce concepts.

  • "*Retesting* my knowledge" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*retesting* my knowledge).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a habit of retesting her work before submission.

  She has a habit of retesting her work before submission.

  • "Of *retesting* her work" is the object of the preposition "of."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a habit of *retesting* her work).

Verbs Taking Infinitives/Gerunds as Objects

The following are verbs that can take only the base form of the verb (infinitive), only the -ing form (gerund), or both.

Verbs Taking Infinitives as Objects

• plan
• decide
• hope
• want
• determine

Example

She plans to retest her experiment next week.

We decided to retest the samples for accuracy.

They hope to retest their findings before publishing.

He wants to retest his skills in the upcoming competition.

The researchers determined to retest the hypothesis to confirm their results.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• recommend
• avoid
• consider
• delay
• imagine

Example

They recommend retesting the product before launch.

He avoids retesting the same experiment multiple times.

I am considering retesting the samples for more accurate results.

We decided to delay retesting until we receive the updated equipment.

Can you imagine retesting the entire dataset manually?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to retest her knowledge after studying. She likes retesting her knowledge after studying.

We started to retest our experiment from scratch. We started retesting our experiment from scratch.

He began to retest the samples for accuracy. He began retesting the samples for accuracy.