Spend Time Doing vs. Spend Time To Do
Cambridge directly documents spend time doing something for using a period of time on an activity. The cited time-use pattern licenses the -ing complement; do not infer spend time to + infinitive as a parallel complement pattern. A separate purpose infinitive can occur in other sentence structures.
Use spend time + -ing when the activity itself is what takes the time.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Intended structure | Pattern | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| the activity itself occupies the time | spend time + -ing | Use the documented complement pattern. |
| an infinitive expresses purpose in a different sentence structure | to + verb in that separate structure | Do not treat “spend time to do” as the parallel complement licensed by this time-use pattern. |
| you can paraphrase as “use time on the activity” | spend time doing | The paraphrase points to the -ing construction. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Is the activity itself what takes or uses the time?
If yes: Use “spend time + -ing.”
If no: If an infinitive expresses purpose, build a sentence structure that actually licenses that purpose infinitive rather than treating “spend time to + verb” as a parallel complement.
Caveat: The evidence directly supports “spend time doing something.” This page does not claim that infinitives are impossible elsewhere in sentences containing “time.”
Examples
She spent time reviewing the figures.
The reviewing activity is what occupied the time, so the -ing complement is licensed.
He spends time practicing every morning.
The activity itself takes the time, so “spends time + -ing” fits the documented pattern.
She set aside time to review the figures.
A purpose infinitive can appear in a different structure; this does not create a parallel “spend time to do” complement pattern.
Further guidance
Boundary
The cited time-use pattern licenses the -ing complement; do not infer spend time to + infinitive as a parallel complement pattern. A separate purpose infinitive can occur in other sentence structures.
Construction
Cambridge directly documents spend time doing something for using a period of time on an activity.
Decision
Use spend time + -ing when the activity itself is what takes the time.
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.
- spend (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press & Assessment · Preferred lexical authority directly documenting spend time doing something.