Move Someone Into Doing vs. Move Someone To Do
Oxford directly documents formal “move somebody to do something” for causing someone to act or feel strongly enough to act. The cited causative sense directly supports object + to-infinitive; it does not establish move + object + into + -ing as an equivalent complement pattern.
Use “move someone to do” for the directly documented formal causative pattern; do not infer equal support for “move someone into doing.”
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| cause or affect a person strongly enough that they act | move + person + to-infinitive | Use the directly documented formal causative pattern. |
| move a person physically into a place or position | move + person + location phrase | This is a different sense and not the complement comparison here. |
| move + person + into + -ing as an assumed equivalent causative complement | not established by the reviewed evidence | Do not infer equivalence from the supported to-infinitive pattern. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Do you mean that an emotion, event, or appeal caused someone to take an action?
If yes: Use “move someone to do something.”
If no: If “move” is about physical relocation, use the location construction required by that sense rather than this causative pattern.
Caveat: The evidence directly supports “move somebody to do something” in the causative sense; it does not establish “move somebody into doing” as a fully interchangeable complement.
Examples
The appeal moved several donors to contribute.
The object is followed by the documented to-infinitive causative complement.
Her story moved him to reconsider the decision.
The to-infinitive names the resulting action.
They moved the chairs into the hall.
This is physical relocation and therefore a different construction.
Further guidance
Boundary
The cited causative sense directly supports object + to-infinitive; it does not establish move + object + into + -ing as an equivalent complement pattern.
Construction
Oxford directly documents formal “move somebody to do something” for causing someone to act or feel strongly enough to act.
Decision
Use “move someone to do” for the directly documented formal causative pattern; do not infer equal support for “move someone into doing.”
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.
- move — Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary · Direct construction evidence for move somebody to do something in the formal causative sense