To Starve vs Starving 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 starve (Infinitive)

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

Example

I refuse to starve myself just to fit into a certain size.

Starving (Gerund)

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

Example

Starving yourself is not a sustainable way to maintain a healthy weight.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To starve (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To starve is not a healthy way to lose weight.

  To starve is not a healthy way to lose weight.

  • "*To starve*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (not a healthy way to lose weight).
• 2. Object

  He wants me to starve for the whole day.

  He wants me to starve for the whole day.

  • "Me *to starve* for the whole day" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (He) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to starve* for the whole day).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  She needs a balanced diet to starve off cravings.

  She needs a balanced diet to starve off cravings.

  • "*To starve* off cravings" modifies the noun "balanced diet."
  • Noun (She) + verb (needs) + noun phrase (a balanced diet *to starve* off cravings).

Starving (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Starving can lead to serious health issues.

  Starving can lead to serious health issues.

  • "*Starving*" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (can lead to) + noun phrase (serious health issues).
• 2. Object

  I hate starving myself for the sake of a diet.

  I hate starving myself for the sake of a diet.

  • "*Starving* myself for the sake of a diet" is the object of the verb "hate."
  • Noun (I) + verb (hate) + gerund (*starving* myself for the sake of a diet).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a fear of starving.

  She has a fear of starving.

  • "Of *starving*" is the object of the preposition "of."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a fear of *starving*).

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

• refuse
• demand
• pretend
• wish
• choose

Example

They refuse to starve themselves for the sake of appearance.

The coach demands the players to starve before the match.

He pretends to starve himself in front of his friends.

I wish to starve were not a common practice in the modeling industry.

She chooses to starve rather than eat unhealthy food.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• avoid
• consider
• recommend
• mind
• resist

Example

They avoid starving themselves by following a balanced diet.

He is considering starving as a method of weight loss.

Doctors do not recommend extreme starving for weight loss.

Do you mind starving for a few hours before the medical test?

She resists starving herself despite societal pressures.

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• begin
• continue

Example

I don't like to starve myself for the sake of beauty. I don't like starving myself for the sake of beauty.

They began to starve themselves in an attempt to lose weight. They began starving themselves in an attempt to lose weight.

He will continue to starve himself until he reaches his desired weight. He will continue starving himself until he reaches his desired weight.