Waste Time Doing vs. Waste Time To Do
Cambridge grammar directly lists waste (time) + -ing and illustrates waste time doing an activity. The documented time-use pattern licenses the -ing complement; a separate to-infinitive can occur elsewhere for purpose, but it is not the parallel complement in this construction.
Use waste time + -ing when the activity itself is what consumes the time.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Context | Use | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| activity itself consumes the time | waste time doing | Use “waste time + -ing” for the documented time-use construction. |
| to-infinitive expresses a separate purpose elsewhere in the sentence | context dependent | A separate purpose infinitive is not the parallel complement of “waste time.” |
| you are choosing the complement immediately after “waste time” | -ing form | Prefer the evidenced -ing pattern. |
Quick tests
Decision test
Is the following action the activity on which time is being wasted?
If yes: Use “waste time + -ing.”
If no: If the infinitive belongs to another purpose construction, analyze that construction separately.
Caveat: This guide distinguishes the documented complement pattern; it does not ban all to-infinitives near the phrase “waste time.”
Examples
Do not waste time arguing about a settled point.
The activity consuming the time is expressed with -ing.
They wasted an hour searching for the missing file.
“Searching” names the activity that consumed the time.
She left early to avoid wasting time waiting in traffic.
The infinitive “to avoid” expresses purpose, while “wasting time” still takes -ing.
Further guidance
Boundary
The documented time-use pattern licenses the -ing complement; a separate to-infinitive can occur elsewhere for purpose, but it is not the parallel complement in this construction.
Construction
Cambridge grammar directly lists waste (time) + -ing and illustrates waste time doing an activity.
Decision
Use waste time + -ing when the activity itself is what consumes 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.
- English Grammar in Use, Unit 63: Expressions + -ing (excerpt) (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Cambridge grammar reference directly documenting have trouble doing, spend/waste time doing, and it is no good doing.