To Summerize vs Summerizing 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 summerize (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to summerize my vacation in a blog post.

Summerizing (Gerund)

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

Example

Summerizing the report will help us identify key trends.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To summerize (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To summerize is an important step in the research process.

  To summerize is an important step in the research process.

  • "*To summerize*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (an important step in the research process).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to summerize the meeting minutes.

  She wants me to summerize the meeting minutes.

  • "Me *to summerize* the meeting minutes" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (She) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to summerize* the meeting minutes).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  I need a clear structure to summerize the key points.

  I need a clear structure to summerize the key points.

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

Summerizing (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Summerizing is an essential skill for effective communication.

  Summerizing is an essential skill for effective communication.

  • "*Summerizing*" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (an essential skill for effective communication).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy summerizing complex information.

  I enjoy summerizing complex information.

  • "*Summerizing* complex information" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*summerizing* complex information).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a talent for summerizing lengthy documents.

  She has a talent for summerizing lengthy documents.

  • "For *summerizing* lengthy documents" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a talent for *summerizing* lengthy documents).

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

He plans to summerize his research findings next week.

We hope to summerize the project before the deadline.

They want to summerize the data in a concise manner.

She decided to summerize the book in a short summary.

We agreed to summerize the findings in a report.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• dislike
• avoid
• imagine

Example

He enjoys summerizing research papers for publication.

They recommend regular summerizing for better understanding.

I dislike the task of summerizing long articles.

She avoids summerizing complicated data sets.

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

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

I like to summerize my thoughts in a journal. I like summerizing my thoughts in a journal.

They started to summerize their experiences in a blog. They started summerizing their experiences in a blog.

She began to summerize the data for analysis. She began summerizing the data for analysis.