Delay Doing vs. Delay To Do
Oxford gives delay + -ing for an action that is put off. A to-infinitive elsewhere in the sentence can serve another purpose, but it is not the reviewed direct complement pattern.
Use “delay doing,” not a direct “delay to do,” when delay is followed by another verb describing the postponed action.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| an action itself is postponed | delay doing something | Use the -ing complement. |
| a noun names what is postponed | delay + noun | Use an ordinary object noun. |
| a direct to-infinitive is proposed as the postponed action complement | do not use it as the equivalent pattern | The reviewed direct complement is -ing. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Does the following verb name the action that is being postponed?
If yes: Use “delay doing …”.
If no: Use a noun object or another sentence structure if you need a different relation.
Caveat: Choose by the documented meaning or construction; a different pattern may be valid in a different sentence structure or variety.
Examples
They delayed announcing the result.
The postponed action is expressed by the -ing form.
We delayed the launch by one week.
A noun can be the direct object of “delay.”
She delayed replying until the figures were checked.
The action being postponed follows as an -ing complement.
Further guidance
Boundary
Do not treat “delay to do” as an interchangeable infinitive alternative to “delay doing.”
Construction
Oxford lists “delay doing something” for postponing an action.
Decision
Choose “delay doing” for the direct verb 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.
- delay — Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries · Delay + -ing complement 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