To Sow vs Sowing 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 sow (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to sow seeds in my garden to grow vegetables.

Sowing (Gerund)

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

Example

Sowing seeds is an essential step in gardening.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To sow (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To sow seeds requires patience and precision.

  To sow seeds requires patience and precision.

  • "*To sow* seeds" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (requires) + noun phrase (patience and precision).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to sow flowers in her backyard.

  She wants me to sow flowers in her backyard.

  • "Me *to sow* flowers in her backyard" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (She) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to sow* flowers in her backyard).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  I need a new gardening tool to sow the seeds.

  I need a new gardening tool to sow the seeds.

  • "*To sow* the seeds" modifies the noun "gardening tool."
  • Noun (I) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a new gardening tool *to sow* the seeds).

Sowing (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Sowing seeds requires careful preparation.

  Sowing seeds requires careful preparation.

  • "*Sowing* seeds" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (requires) + noun phrase (careful preparation).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy sowing flowers in my backyard.

  I enjoy sowing flowers in my backyard.

  • "*Sowing* flowers in my backyard" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*sowing* flowers in my backyard).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a passion for sowing vegetable seeds.

  She has a passion for sowing vegetable seeds.

  • "For *sowing* vegetable seeds" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a passion for *sowing* vegetable seeds).

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
• hope
• want
• decide
• agree

Example

She plans to sow the seeds in the raised beds next week.

They hope to sow wildflowers in their front yard.

He wants to sow a variety of vegetables in his backyard garden.

We decided to sow the seeds indoors before transplanting them outside.

They agreed to sow the flower seeds together.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• dislike
• avoid
• imagine

Example

She enjoys sowing seeds in her greenhouse every spring.

They recommend regular sowing for a bountiful harvest.

I dislike the process of sowing tiny seeds.

He avoids sowing during rainy days.

Can you imagine yourself sowing a field of flowers?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to sow herbs in her kitchen garden. She likes sowing flowers in her garden.

We started to sow our own vegetables. We started sowing seeds in our backyard.

He began to sow flowers in his front yard. He began sowing plants in his front yard.