Deserve Doing vs. Deserve To Do
Oxford lists both constructions. The -ing form commonly appears in passive-like expressions such as a point deserving mention, while the to-infinitive can describe what the subject merits doing or receiving.
Both “deserve to do” and “deserve doing” are documented, but they commonly package the meaning differently: “deserve to do” gives the subject the action/outcome, while “deserve doing” often means the subject merits being acted on.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| the subject merits the chance, outcome, or action expressed by the verb | deserve to do | Use the to-infinitive when the subject is the one associated with the following action or outcome. |
| the subject merits having an action done to it | deserve doing | The -ing pattern can package a passive-like meaning. |
| clarity is more important than compactness | deserve to be + past participle | Use the explicit passive when it makes the intended direction of the action clearer. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Is the subject the one that should perform or receive the outcome expressed by the following verb?
If yes: Use “deserve to do.”
If no: If the subject merits being acted on, “deserve doing” can work; an explicit “deserve to be …” may be clearer.
Caveat: Both patterns are documented, but they do not simply substitute for one another in every sentence. Check who performs or receives the implied action.
Examples
They deserve to hear the result first.
The subject is associated with the following action/outcome.
The proposal deserves reconsidering.
The proposal merits being reconsidered, giving the -ing form a passive-like interpretation.
The proposal deserves to be reconsidered.
The explicit passive states the same direction of action more transparently.
Further guidance
Boundary
The existence of both patterns does not create a universal one-for-one paraphrase; passive-like -ing uses and subject-oriented to-infinitives can differ in focus.
Construction
Oxford explicitly lists both “deserve to do something” and “deserve doing something.”
Decision
Use the form that matches the intended grammatical relationship rather than treating the two complements as freely interchangeable.
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.
- deserve — Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries · Documents both deserve to do and deserve doing constructions
- 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