To Summarize vs Summarizing 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 summarize (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to summarize the main points of the presentation.

Summarizing (Gerund)

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

Example

Summarizing helps to condense information into a concise form.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To summarize (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To summarize is an important skill in academic writing.

  To summarize is an important skill in academic writing.

  • "*To summarize*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (an important skill in academic writing).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to summarize the article for her.

  She wants me to summarize the article for her.

  • "Me *to summarize* the article for her" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (She) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to summarize* the article for her).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  I need a clear structure to summarize the key points.

  I need a clear structure to summarize the key points.

  • "*To summarize* the key points" modifies the noun "structure."
  • Noun (I) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a clear structure *to summarize* the key points).

Summarizing (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Summarizing requires good comprehension skills.

  Summarizing requires good comprehension skills.

  • "*Summarizing*" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (requires) + noun phrase (good comprehension skills).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy summarizing complex ideas.

  I enjoy summarizing complex ideas.

  • "*Summarizing* complex ideas" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*summarizing* complex ideas).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a talent for summarizing long texts.

  She has a talent for summarizing long texts.

  • "For *summarizing* long texts" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a talent for *summarizing* long texts).

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 summarize the report tomorrow.

They hope to summarize the findings in their research.

He wants to summarize the main arguments of the book.

We decided to summarize the meeting minutes.

They agreed to summarize the case together.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• dislike
• avoid
• imagine

Example

She enjoys summarizing articles for her blog.

They recommend regular summarizing for better understanding.

I dislike the task of summarizing lengthy reports.

He avoids summarizing complex data.

Can you imagine yourself summarizing a whole book in one paragraph?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to summarize the main points in bullet form. She likes summarizing the main points in bullet form.

We started to summarize the research findings. We started summarizing the research findings.

He began to summarize each chapter of the novel. He began summarizing each chapter of the novel.