Participate In Doing vs. Participate To Do
Cambridge uses participate in for the activity or event joined, and Cambridge grammar treats a verb after a preposition as an -ing form. Together these support participate in + -ing when the activity itself is verbal.
Use “participate in doing” when the -ing clause names the activity you take part in. “Participate to do” is not the parallel participation complement.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| take part in an activity named by a noun | participate in + noun | Use “in” before the activity or event. |
| take part in an activity named by a verb | participate in + -ing | Use the -ing form after the preposition “in.” |
| use a to-infinitive as a supposed parallel participation complement | participate to do | Do not use this as the ordinary equivalent of “participate in doing.” |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Does the following verb name the activity in which someone takes part?
If yes: Use “participate in” plus the -ing form.
If no: If the complement is a noun, use “participate in” plus that noun; do not replace the participation pattern with “participate to do.”
Caveat: This guidance concerns the complement that names the activity of participation. A separate “to” phrase elsewhere in a sentence can have another function and should not be confused with a “participate to do” complement.
Examples
Several students participated in planning the event.
The -ing clause names the activity they took part in.
She participated in the workshop.
A noun phrase can follow “participate in.”
They participated in testing the new process.
After the preposition “in,” the verbal activity appears in the -ing form.
Further guidance
Boundary
A to-infinitive can occur elsewhere to express purpose in a larger clause; this guide does not treat such a purpose adjunct as the complement selected by participate.
Construction
The participation complement uses in + noun or in + -ing when naming the activity.
Decision
Use “participate in doing” when the -ing clause names the activity you take part in. “Participate to do” is not the parallel participation 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.
- participate — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Current dictionary construction showing participate in + activity.
- Prepositional phrases — Cambridge Grammar (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Prepositions can take an -ing clause as complement; Cambridge specifically contrasts preposition + -ing with invalid to-infinitive substitutions