English UsageComparison guide

Compel Someone To Do vs. Compel Doing

Cambridge documents compel + object + to-infinitive for forcing a person to act and separate direct-object senses such as compelling a change or reaction. Compel can take noun objects in other senses, so distinguish “force a person to act” from “cause a result/reaction.”

Reviewed2026-09-26Evidence1 sourceSectionEnglish Usage

Quick answer

Use “compel someone to do something” when the object is the person forced to act; do not treat a bare -ing phrase as the interchangeable complement.

Key details

Confusion Familygrammar-and-usage distinction

Rule Familyverb-complement and object pattern

TermsCompel Someone To Do, Compel Doing

Choose the right form

Decision table for Compel Someone To Do vs. Compel Doing
Meaning / situation	Form / construction	Decision
force a person to act	compel + person + to-infinitive	Use the object + to-infinitive pattern.
cause or require a result/reaction named by a noun object	compel + noun object	Treat this as a separate direct-object sense, not a gerund alternative to the person pattern.

Quick tests

Object-pattern test

Is the grammatical object the person who is being forced to act?

If yes: Use “compel someone to do something.”

If no: If “compel” directly takes a result or reaction as its object, analyze that separate sense instead.

Examples

Example

The court order compelled the company to provide the records.

The company is the object forced to act.

Example

The evidence compelled a change in policy.

Here “a change” is a direct noun object describing the result.

Example

Do not treat a bare -ing phrase as interchangeable with the documented object + to-infinitive pattern.

The reviewed source distinguishes the person-action pattern from other direct-object uses.

Further guidance

Boundary

Compel can take noun objects in other senses, so distinguish “force a person to act” from “cause a result/reaction.”

Construction

Cambridge documents compel + object + to-infinitive for forcing a person to act and separate direct-object senses such as compelling a change or reaction.

Decision

Use “compel someone to do something” when the object is the person forced to act; do not treat a bare -ing phrase as the interchangeable complement.

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.

compel — Cambridge English Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Compel + object + to-infinitive and distinct direct-object senses

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