To Yuck vs Yucking 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 yuck (Infinitive)

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

Example

I refuse to yuck down that disgusting food.

Yucking (Gerund)

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

Example

Yucking at someone's food is rude.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To yuck (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To yuck is not an appropriate response to someone's cooking.

  To yuck is not an appropriate response to someone's cooking.

  • "*To yuck*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (not an appropriate response to someone's cooking).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to yuck down this awful drink.

  She wants me to yuck down this awful drink.

  • "Me *to yuck* down this awful drink" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (She) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to yuck* down this awful drink).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  I need a strong flavor to yuck up this bland dish.

  I need a strong flavor to yuck up this bland dish.

  • "*To yuck* up this bland dish" modifies the noun "flavor."
  • Noun (I) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a strong flavor *to yuck* up this bland dish).

Yucking (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Yucking is not acceptable behavior at the dinner table.

  Yucking is not acceptable behavior at the dinner table.

  • "*Yucking*" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (not acceptable behavior at the dinner table).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy yucking at his terrible jokes.

  I enjoy yucking at his terrible jokes.

  • "*Yucking* at his terrible jokes" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*yucking* at his terrible jokes).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a habit of yucking at every meal.

  She has a habit of yucking at every meal.

  • "Of *yucking* at every meal" is the object of the preposition "of."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a habit of *yucking* at every meal).

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
• avoid
• pretend
• regret
• choose

Example

He refuses to yuck down any more of that disgusting food.

They avoid to yuck on anything that doesn't taste good.

She pretends to yuck at the sight of vegetables.

I regret to yuck out all the food from the party.

We choose to yuck over eating something we don't like.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• resist
• consider
• mind

Example

He enjoys yucking about the bad taste of certain foods.

They recommend avoiding yucking in public places.

I resist yucking when I'm served something I don't like.

She considered yucking at the weird-looking dish.

Do you mind me yucking at your cooking?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

He likes to yuck on bizarre food combinations. He likes yucking on bizarre food combinations.

We started to yuck at each other's culinary experiments. We started yucking at each other's culinary experiments.

She began to yuck whenever she tasted something unpleasant. She began yucking whenever she tasted something unpleasant.