Be Worth Doing vs. Worth To Do
Cambridge describes be worth doing as the standard expression and explicitly rejects the to-infinitive after worth in this pattern. This rule concerns worth followed by a verb; other uses of worth with nouns or monetary values follow different structures.
Use “be worth doing,” not “worth to do,” when you mean that an action is useful or important enough to justify the effort.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| an action merits the time, effort, or attention | worth + -ing | use “worth doing” |
| a proposed infinitive after worth for this meaning | worth + to-infinitive | do not use it as the parallel complement |
Quick tests
Worth-complement test
Are you saying an action merits doing?
If yes: Use “be worth + -ing.”
If no: Recast a “worth to do” form as “worth doing” for this meaning.
Caveat: This rule addresses the complement after adjectival “worth”; other uses of the word “worth” have different structures.
Examples
The report is worth reading in full.
“Worth + -ing” expresses that the action merits the effort.
It is worth checking the totals again.
The gerund construction is the standard pattern.
The route is worth to try.
Better: The route is worth trying.
For this meaning, use “The route is worth trying.”
Further guidance
Boundary
This rule concerns worth followed by a verb; other uses of worth with nouns or monetary values follow different structures.
Construction
Cambridge describes be worth doing as the standard expression and explicitly rejects the to-infinitive after worth in this pattern.
Decision
Use “be worth doing,” not “worth to do,” when you mean that an action is useful or important enough to justify the effort.
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.
- Word patterns: be worth doing something — Cambridge Grammar (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Be worth doing is the documented verb pattern; Cambridge explicitly rejects worth to do in this construction