Cambridge directly distinguishes the adjective construction be intent on something/doing something from the noun construction intent to do something, so the page keeps category and complement structure explicit.
ReviewedEvidence1 sourceSectionEnglish Usage
Quick answer
Use “be intent on doing something” for the adjective construction. Use “an intent to do something” when “intent” is the noun followed by a to-infinitive.
Key details
Confusion Familyverb-complement
Rule Familyverb-complementation
Termsbe intent on doing, an intent to do
Further guidance
Core difference
Cambridge documents adjective be intent on + noun/-ing and noun intent + to-infinitive; they are different grammatical constructions.
Style Boundary
Do not treat adjective “intent” as though it freely takes a bare to-infinitive; keep the adjective-on pattern distinct from the noun “intent to do” pattern.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
Cambridge directly records amazed + to-infinitive and amazed at + complement, making it an evidence-safe replacement for the unsupported Satisfied proposal.
Oxford directly records both ashamed + to-infinitive and ashamed of + noun/pronoun. The guide compares those attested structures without inventing an unsupported parallel complement.
Oxford directly documents averse to (doing) something. This is a prepositional to + noun/-ing construction, so a bare infinitive should not be assumed to be an interchangeable complement.
Oxford documents the idiomatic adjective pattern bent on (doing) something for determination. The evidence does not license a parallel bent + to-infinitive complement for that same meaning.
