Infinitive vs Gerund












4
















The business hoped to devote most of its fund to ______ for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.




Should the answer be "pay" or "paying"? Why and, what difference would it make (if any)?










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    4
















    The business hoped to devote most of its fund to ______ for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.




    Should the answer be "pay" or "paying"? Why and, what difference would it make (if any)?










    share|improve this question



























      4












      4








      4


      1







      The business hoped to devote most of its fund to ______ for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.




      Should the answer be "pay" or "paying"? Why and, what difference would it make (if any)?










      share|improve this question

















      The business hoped to devote most of its fund to ______ for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.




      Should the answer be "pay" or "paying"? Why and, what difference would it make (if any)?







      grammar usage word-difference






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      edited 5 hours ago









      Gustavson

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      asked 6 hours ago









      JoeJoe

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          "to" is a preposition there, so a gerund is required.



          The correct sentence is:




          • The business hoped to devote most of its fund to paying for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.


          You devote money, time, effort, etc. to something, and that something needs to be a noun. If it is a verb, its nominal variant (i.e. a gerund) will be required.



          Here you can find more examples.






          share|improve this answer































            2














            What follows to should be a noun (or verb acting as a noun), making this the correct version of your sentence:




            The business hoped to devote most of its funds to paying for new television ads, since it wanted more coverage.




            Note that I used the plural funds on the assumption that you're talking about budget or money rather than an actual fund. I also added a comma after ads.





            Having said that, I would dispense with to paying for altogether. It's redundant.



            A shorter and still understandable sentence is simply:




            The business hoped to devote most of its funds to new television ads, since it wanted more coverage.






            On the other hand, you can rephrase the original sentence so pay can be used rather than paying. To do this, you would remove devote and rearrange things a bit:




            The business hoped to pay for new television ads with most of its funds, since it wanted more coverage.







            share|improve this answer































              0














              A gerund is a noun formed from a verb.
              An infinitive is a verb without a tense.



              "to" has (at least) two functions:




              • as an auxiliary verb, which can preceding an infinitive.

              • as a preposition, which can precede a noun phrase.


              So really both answers are valid.





              1. The business hoped to devote most of its fund to pay for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.



                Here "to" is an auxiliary verb. And "pay" is an infinitive verb.




              2. The business hoped to devote most of its fund to paying for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.



                Here "to" is a preposition preceding the noun phrase "paying for new television ads".




              That the grammar answer. But, in terms of meaning, both sentences mean the same thing.





              share








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              Eric McLachlan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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                3 Answers
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                active

                oldest

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                3 Answers
                3






                active

                oldest

                votes









                active

                oldest

                votes






                active

                oldest

                votes









                2














                "to" is a preposition there, so a gerund is required.



                The correct sentence is:




                • The business hoped to devote most of its fund to paying for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.


                You devote money, time, effort, etc. to something, and that something needs to be a noun. If it is a verb, its nominal variant (i.e. a gerund) will be required.



                Here you can find more examples.






                share|improve this answer




























                  2














                  "to" is a preposition there, so a gerund is required.



                  The correct sentence is:




                  • The business hoped to devote most of its fund to paying for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.


                  You devote money, time, effort, etc. to something, and that something needs to be a noun. If it is a verb, its nominal variant (i.e. a gerund) will be required.



                  Here you can find more examples.






                  share|improve this answer


























                    2












                    2








                    2







                    "to" is a preposition there, so a gerund is required.



                    The correct sentence is:




                    • The business hoped to devote most of its fund to paying for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.


                    You devote money, time, effort, etc. to something, and that something needs to be a noun. If it is a verb, its nominal variant (i.e. a gerund) will be required.



                    Here you can find more examples.






                    share|improve this answer













                    "to" is a preposition there, so a gerund is required.



                    The correct sentence is:




                    • The business hoped to devote most of its fund to paying for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.


                    You devote money, time, effort, etc. to something, and that something needs to be a noun. If it is a verb, its nominal variant (i.e. a gerund) will be required.



                    Here you can find more examples.







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered 5 hours ago









                    GustavsonGustavson

                    2,800311




                    2,800311

























                        2














                        What follows to should be a noun (or verb acting as a noun), making this the correct version of your sentence:




                        The business hoped to devote most of its funds to paying for new television ads, since it wanted more coverage.




                        Note that I used the plural funds on the assumption that you're talking about budget or money rather than an actual fund. I also added a comma after ads.





                        Having said that, I would dispense with to paying for altogether. It's redundant.



                        A shorter and still understandable sentence is simply:




                        The business hoped to devote most of its funds to new television ads, since it wanted more coverage.






                        On the other hand, you can rephrase the original sentence so pay can be used rather than paying. To do this, you would remove devote and rearrange things a bit:




                        The business hoped to pay for new television ads with most of its funds, since it wanted more coverage.







                        share|improve this answer




























                          2














                          What follows to should be a noun (or verb acting as a noun), making this the correct version of your sentence:




                          The business hoped to devote most of its funds to paying for new television ads, since it wanted more coverage.




                          Note that I used the plural funds on the assumption that you're talking about budget or money rather than an actual fund. I also added a comma after ads.





                          Having said that, I would dispense with to paying for altogether. It's redundant.



                          A shorter and still understandable sentence is simply:




                          The business hoped to devote most of its funds to new television ads, since it wanted more coverage.






                          On the other hand, you can rephrase the original sentence so pay can be used rather than paying. To do this, you would remove devote and rearrange things a bit:




                          The business hoped to pay for new television ads with most of its funds, since it wanted more coverage.







                          share|improve this answer


























                            2












                            2








                            2







                            What follows to should be a noun (or verb acting as a noun), making this the correct version of your sentence:




                            The business hoped to devote most of its funds to paying for new television ads, since it wanted more coverage.




                            Note that I used the plural funds on the assumption that you're talking about budget or money rather than an actual fund. I also added a comma after ads.





                            Having said that, I would dispense with to paying for altogether. It's redundant.



                            A shorter and still understandable sentence is simply:




                            The business hoped to devote most of its funds to new television ads, since it wanted more coverage.






                            On the other hand, you can rephrase the original sentence so pay can be used rather than paying. To do this, you would remove devote and rearrange things a bit:




                            The business hoped to pay for new television ads with most of its funds, since it wanted more coverage.







                            share|improve this answer













                            What follows to should be a noun (or verb acting as a noun), making this the correct version of your sentence:




                            The business hoped to devote most of its funds to paying for new television ads, since it wanted more coverage.




                            Note that I used the plural funds on the assumption that you're talking about budget or money rather than an actual fund. I also added a comma after ads.





                            Having said that, I would dispense with to paying for altogether. It's redundant.



                            A shorter and still understandable sentence is simply:




                            The business hoped to devote most of its funds to new television ads, since it wanted more coverage.






                            On the other hand, you can rephrase the original sentence so pay can be used rather than paying. To do this, you would remove devote and rearrange things a bit:




                            The business hoped to pay for new television ads with most of its funds, since it wanted more coverage.








                            share|improve this answer












                            share|improve this answer



                            share|improve this answer










                            answered 4 hours ago









                            Jason BassfordJason Bassford

                            15.8k22237




                            15.8k22237























                                0














                                A gerund is a noun formed from a verb.
                                An infinitive is a verb without a tense.



                                "to" has (at least) two functions:




                                • as an auxiliary verb, which can preceding an infinitive.

                                • as a preposition, which can precede a noun phrase.


                                So really both answers are valid.





                                1. The business hoped to devote most of its fund to pay for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.



                                  Here "to" is an auxiliary verb. And "pay" is an infinitive verb.




                                2. The business hoped to devote most of its fund to paying for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.



                                  Here "to" is a preposition preceding the noun phrase "paying for new television ads".




                                That the grammar answer. But, in terms of meaning, both sentences mean the same thing.





                                share








                                New contributor




                                Eric McLachlan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                Check out our Code of Conduct.

























                                  0














                                  A gerund is a noun formed from a verb.
                                  An infinitive is a verb without a tense.



                                  "to" has (at least) two functions:




                                  • as an auxiliary verb, which can preceding an infinitive.

                                  • as a preposition, which can precede a noun phrase.


                                  So really both answers are valid.





                                  1. The business hoped to devote most of its fund to pay for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.



                                    Here "to" is an auxiliary verb. And "pay" is an infinitive verb.




                                  2. The business hoped to devote most of its fund to paying for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.



                                    Here "to" is a preposition preceding the noun phrase "paying for new television ads".




                                  That the grammar answer. But, in terms of meaning, both sentences mean the same thing.





                                  share








                                  New contributor




                                  Eric McLachlan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                  Check out our Code of Conduct.























                                    0












                                    0








                                    0







                                    A gerund is a noun formed from a verb.
                                    An infinitive is a verb without a tense.



                                    "to" has (at least) two functions:




                                    • as an auxiliary verb, which can preceding an infinitive.

                                    • as a preposition, which can precede a noun phrase.


                                    So really both answers are valid.





                                    1. The business hoped to devote most of its fund to pay for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.



                                      Here "to" is an auxiliary verb. And "pay" is an infinitive verb.




                                    2. The business hoped to devote most of its fund to paying for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.



                                      Here "to" is a preposition preceding the noun phrase "paying for new television ads".




                                    That the grammar answer. But, in terms of meaning, both sentences mean the same thing.





                                    share








                                    New contributor




                                    Eric McLachlan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                    Check out our Code of Conduct.










                                    A gerund is a noun formed from a verb.
                                    An infinitive is a verb without a tense.



                                    "to" has (at least) two functions:




                                    • as an auxiliary verb, which can preceding an infinitive.

                                    • as a preposition, which can precede a noun phrase.


                                    So really both answers are valid.





                                    1. The business hoped to devote most of its fund to pay for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.



                                      Here "to" is an auxiliary verb. And "pay" is an infinitive verb.




                                    2. The business hoped to devote most of its fund to paying for new television ads since it wanted more coverage.



                                      Here "to" is a preposition preceding the noun phrase "paying for new television ads".




                                    That the grammar answer. But, in terms of meaning, both sentences mean the same thing.






                                    share








                                    New contributor




                                    Eric McLachlan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                    Check out our Code of Conduct.








                                    share


                                    share






                                    New contributor




                                    Eric McLachlan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                    Check out our Code of Conduct.









                                    answered 4 mins ago









                                    Eric McLachlanEric McLachlan

                                    11




                                    11




                                    New contributor




                                    Eric McLachlan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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                                    New contributor





                                    Eric McLachlan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                    Check out our Code of Conduct.






                                    Eric McLachlan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                                    Check out our Code of Conduct.






























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