Consider Doing vs. Consider To Do
For the common sense “think about a possibility,” consider takes an -ing verb complement: “consider moving,” not direct “consider to move.” Other constructions such as consider something to be something belong to a different syntax and should not be confused with this pattern.
Use “consider doing” when consider means think about a possible action. Cambridge’s grammar guidance rejects direct “consider to do” in this pattern.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| think about a possible action | consider + -ing | Use the -ing complement for the contemplated action. |
| judge or regard something as having a quality | consider + object + to be / adjective/noun | This is a different construction, not direct “consider to do.” |
| direct possible-action complement | consider to do | Avoid this direct pattern in standard English. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Does “consider” mean think about possibly performing the next action?
If yes: Use “consider” + -ing.
If no: If “consider” means regard/judge, another construction such as “consider X to be Y” may be valid.
Caveat: Do not treat every occurrence of “consider + to” as wrong: “consider X to be Y” is a different documented syntax from direct “consider to do.”
Examples
We are considering moving the meeting to Friday.
The -ing form names the possible action under consideration.
The board considers the proposal to be workable.
“To be” belongs to an object-complement construction.
Consider asking one more question before you decide.
The possible action follows as an -ing form.
Further guidance
Boundary
Object + to-be constructions such as “consider it to be useful” are a different structure and do not make bare “consider to do” a normal alternative.
Construction
Cambridge states that when consider is followed by a verb in the possibility/decision pattern, the following verb is in the -ing form.
Decision
Use “consider doing” for thinking about a possible action; avoid direct “consider to do” in that sense.
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: consider doing something — Cambridge Grammar (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary / English Grammar Today · Consider + -ing for thinking about a possible action; rejection of direct consider + to-infinitive in that pattern
- 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