To Unwrite vs Unwriting 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 unwrite (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to unwrite that chapter and start over.

Unwriting (Gerund)

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

Example

Unwriting is a challenging process.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To unwrite (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To unwrite is a difficult task.

  To unwrite is a difficult task.

  • "*To unwrite*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + adjective phrase (a difficult task).
• 2. Object

  She asked me to unwrite the paragraph.

  She asked me to unwrite the paragraph.

  • "Me *to unwrite* the paragraph" is the object of the verb "asked."
  • Noun (She) + verb (asked) + noun phrase (me *to unwrite* the paragraph).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  I need a delete button to unwrite my mistakes.

  I need a delete button to unwrite my mistakes.

  • "*To unwrite* my mistakes" modifies the noun "delete button."
  • Noun (I) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a delete button *to unwrite* my mistakes).

Unwriting (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Unwriting requires patience and attention to detail.

  Unwriting requires patience and attention to detail.

  • "*Unwriting*" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (requires) + noun phrase (patience and attention to detail).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy unwriting old journal entries.

  I enjoy unwriting old journal entries.

  • "*Unwriting* old journal entries" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*unwriting* old journal entries).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a talent for unwriting unnecessary words.

  She has a talent for unwriting unnecessary words.

  • "For *unwriting* unnecessary words" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a talent for *unwriting* unnecessary words).

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 unwrite the entire book and start from scratch.

They hope to unwrite their previous statement and issue an apology.

She wants to unwrite that email and send a new one.

We decided to unwrite that section and rewrite it.

They agreed to unwrite that paragraph and come up with a better one.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• recommend
• consider
• avoid
• imagine
• resist

Example

They recommend unwriting irrelevant information from the report.

I am considering unwriting that paragraph and replacing it with a better one.

He avoids unwriting sensitive topics in his articles.

Can you imagine yourself unwriting a whole chapter of your novel?

She resists unwriting her mistakes and prefers to learn from them.

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She would like to unwrite that section and rewrite it. She would like unwriting that paragraph and starting over.

We started to unwrite our previous statements and issue apologies. We started unwriting old blog posts to update the content.

He began to unwrite the chapter and reorganize the content. He began unwriting his old journal entries to create space for new ones.