Infinitive vs Gerund
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
edited 5 hours ago
Gustavson
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asked 6 hours ago
JoeJoe
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add a comment |
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
edited 5 hours ago
Gustavson
2,800311
asked 6 hours ago
JoeJoe
2714
add a comment |
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
edited 5 hours ago
Gustavson
2,800311
asked 6 hours ago
JoeJoe
2714
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
grammar usage word-difference
edited 5 hours ago
Gustavson
2,800311
asked 6 hours ago
JoeJoe
2714
edited 5 hours ago
Gustavson
2,800311
asked 6 hours ago
JoeJoe
2714
edited 5 hours ago
Gustavson
2,800311
edited 5 hours ago
Gustavson
2,800311
edited 5 hours ago
Gustavson
2,800311
2,800311
asked 6 hours ago
JoeJoe
2714
asked 6 hours ago
JoeJoe
2714
asked 6 hours ago
JoeJoe
2714
2714
add a comment |
add a comment |
3 Answers
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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.
answered 5 hours ago
GustavsonGustavson
2,800311
add a comment |
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.
answered 4 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
15.8k22237
add a comment |
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.
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.
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.
answered 4 mins ago
Eric McLachlanEric McLachlan
11
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.
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
"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.
answered 5 hours ago
GustavsonGustavson
2,800311
add a comment |
"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.
answered 5 hours ago
GustavsonGustavson
2,800311
add a comment |
"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.
answered 5 hours ago
GustavsonGustavson
2,800311
"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.
answered 5 hours ago
GustavsonGustavson
2,800311
answered 5 hours ago
GustavsonGustavson
2,800311
answered 5 hours ago
GustavsonGustavson
2,800311
answered 5 hours ago
GustavsonGustavson
2,800311
2,800311
add a comment |
add a comment |
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.
answered 4 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
15.8k22237
add a comment |
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.
answered 4 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
15.8k22237
add a comment |
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.
answered 4 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
15.8k22237
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.
answered 4 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
15.8k22237
answered 4 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
15.8k22237
answered 4 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
15.8k22237
answered 4 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
15.8k22237
15.8k22237
add a comment |
add a comment |
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.
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.
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.
answered 4 mins ago
Eric McLachlanEric McLachlan
11
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.
add a comment |
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.
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.
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.
answered 4 mins ago
Eric McLachlanEric McLachlan
11
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.
add a comment |
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.
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.
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.
answered 4 mins ago
Eric McLachlanEric McLachlan
11
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.
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.
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.
answered 4 mins ago
Eric McLachlanEric McLachlan
11
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
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
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.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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.
add a comment |
add a comment |
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