To Traffic vs Trafficking 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 traffic (Infinitive)

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

Example

The authorities want to traffic to be stopped.

Trafficking (Gerund)

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

Example

Trafficking is a global issue that needs to be addressed.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To traffic (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To traffic is a serious crime.

  To traffic is a serious crime.

  • "*To traffic*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (a serious crime).
• 2. Object

  They encourage us to traffic illegal goods.

  They encourage us to traffic illegal goods.

  • "Us *to traffic* illegal goods" is the object of the verb "encourage."
  • Noun (They) + verb (encourage) + noun phrase (us *to traffic* illegal goods).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  He needs a vehicle to traffic drugs.

  He needs a vehicle to traffic drugs.

  • "*To traffic* drugs" modifies the noun "vehicle."
  • Noun (He) + verb (needs) + noun phrase (a vehicle *to traffic* drugs).

Trafficking (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Trafficking violates human rights.

  Trafficking violates human rights.

  • "*Trafficking*" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (violates) + noun phrase (human rights).
• 2. Object

  I am committed to stopping human trafficking.

  I am committed to stopping human trafficking.

  • "Stopping human *trafficking*" is the object of the verb phrase "am committed to."
  • Noun (I) + verb (am committed to) + gerund (stopping human *trafficking*).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She was arrested for involvement in drug trafficking.

  She was arrested for involvement in drug trafficking.

  • "Involvement in drug *trafficking*" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (was arrested for) + noun phrase (involvement in drug *trafficking*).

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
• want
• refuse
• attempt
• demand

Example

She plans to traffic drugs across the border.

They want to traffic in stolen goods.

He refuses to traffic in counterfeit products.

We attempted to traffic the illegal substances unnoticed.

The criminal gang demanded to traffic the contraband items.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• avoid
• consider
• mind
• recommend
• understand

Example

He avoids getting involved in human trafficking.

They consider international efforts to combat trafficking.

I don't mind discussing human trafficking.

Experts recommend raising awareness about child trafficking.

Can you understand the impact of human trafficking?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to traffic illicit substances. She likes trafficking illicit substances.

We started to traffic contraband goods. We started trafficking contraband goods.

He began to traffic drugs across borders. He began trafficking drugs across borders.