Commence Doing vs. Commence To Do
Oxford explicitly lists commence doing something and commence to do something. The verb is formal, and the source does not establish a general meaning contrast between the two complements, so the guide presents both as documented alternatives.
Both “commence doing” and “commence to do” are documented by Oxford. Commence is formal, and the two patterns both express beginning an activity.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| begin an activity | commence + -ing | Documented alternative. |
| begin an activity | commence + to-infinitive | Also documented. |
| plain-language context | begin/start | Because “commence” is formal, a simpler verb may fit better when formality is unnecessary. |
Quick tests
Complement-choice test
Do you need to choose between “commence doing” and “commence to do” solely for correctness?
If yes: Either documented complement can be used.
If no: Choose by sentence flow or house style; the reviewed evidence does not establish a general meaning contrast.
Examples
The committee commenced reviewing the applications.
Oxford documents “commence doing.”
The committee commenced to review the applications.
Oxford also documents “commence to do.”
The notice can simply say “The review begins Monday” when formal wording adds no value.
The register boundary matters even though both complements are documented.
Further guidance
Boundary
Do not invent a meaning difference when the reviewed dictionary presents both patterns under the same core sense “begin.”
Construction
Oxford lists both commence + -ing and commence + to-infinitive patterns.
Decision
Either construction can be grammatical; choose the form that fits the sentence and house style, while remembering that commence itself is formal.
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.
- commence — Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries · Commence + -ing and commence + to-infinitive; formal-register boundary
- Verb patterns: verb + infinitive or verb + -ing? (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Verb-complement patterns, including verbs taking -ing, to-infinitive, or both with meaning differences