[Grammar] reduce + infinitive, gerund?

[Kotfor]

I wonder what should be used after "to reduce". I've been looking for examples with this word and couldn't find any where it would have an infinitive or a gerund after it.

He reduced to produce...(wrong)
He reduced producing... (wong)
He reduced the producing/the production (should be ok)

It seems to me that it takes only a noun or a verbal noun. Am I right on that?

 

[Mehrgan]

I wonder what should be used after "to reduce". I've been looking for examples with this word and couldn't find any where it would have an infinitive or a gerund after it.

He reduced to produce...(wrong)
He reduced producing... (wong)
He reduced the producing/the production (should be ok)

It seems to me that it takes only a noun or a verbal noun. Am I right on that?

***not a teacher***
I suppose 'production' is the right choice.
Indeed, since 'producing' is a verb in your sentence it would be ungrammatical.

 

[Kotfor]

***not a teacher***
I suppose 'production' is the right choice.
Indeed, since 'producing' is a verb in your sentence it would be ungrammatical.

Well, it's not a verb but a verbal noun. Verbs don't take articles. I would even like to know the overall situation not only presented in my examples.

 

[Mehrgan]

Well, it's not a verb but a verbal noun. Verbs don't take articles. I would even like to know the overall situation not only presented in my examples.

Could you please complete your second sentence? Thanks.

 

[Mehrgan]

It's possible when a verb like "spend" takes an article:

You can reduce spending on advertisement.

 

[Raymott]

I wonder what should be used after "to reduce". I've been looking for examples with this word and couldn't find any where it would have an infinitive or a gerund after it.

He reduced to produce...(wrong)
He reduced producing... (wong)
He reduced the producing/the production (should be ok)

It seems to me that it takes only a noun or a verbal noun. Am I right on that?

I can't think of an example of reduce + verb. 1 and 2 are wrong.
"He reduced the production of metal." is possible. But I'd used "decreased" in this sentence, or "He reduced the production level of metal." Maybe that's a stylistic issue.
As far as 'reduced + gerund', you can say, "I reduced my spending on luxuries."

 

[Kotfor]

Very interesting isn't it? i think this verb stands out of other verbs. You can't even put a gerund there you need to add a pronoun as well. Interesting.

 

[bhaisahab]

I wonder what should be used after "to reduce". I've been looking for examples with this word and couldn't find any where it would have an infinitive or a gerund after it.

He reduced to produce...(wrong)
He reduced producing... (wong)
He reduced the producing/the production (should be ok)

It seems to me that it takes only a noun or a verbal noun. Am I right on that?

In what context(s) would you use "He reduced the producing"?

 

[Raymott]

Very interesting isn't it? i think this verb stands out of other verbs. You can't even put a gerund there you need to add a pronoun as well. Interesting.

I'm not sure that it is exceptional. There are a lot of verbs that can be used as you have, for example: "stop, start, continue, begin, commence; consider, suggest, try, delay, put off, rely on ... "
So, you can say, "Don't stop producing food" but not "Don't reduce producing food." You'd have to say, "Don't reduce [the] production of food."

Verbs that you can't use directly before a gerund include: "reduce, increase, decrease, plan ...

Maybe someone can point out the difference between these two groups of verbs.

 

[Kotfor]

It seems to me that you are missing one nuance I am refering to. These verbs "stop, start, continue etc" can take gerund. But only "reduce" can't take it without a pronoun while others can take both gerund and pronoun+gerund.

Stop smoking. OK
Stop your smoking. Ok.
Reduce smoking. Wrong
Reduce your smoking. Ok.

It's just an interesting thing about reduce to my mind.

PS: Oops.... sorry, this is I who am missing the point. You are right here we have them - "reduce, increase, decrease, plan ..." Could some one add more to this group?

 

[Kotfor]

In what context(s) would you use "He reduced the producing"?

To tell you the truth I don't know. Could you explain what the difference would be between.

He reduced the producing.
He reduced producing.

 

[Kotfor]

It's possible when a verb like "spend" takes an article:

You can reduce spending on advertisement.

Great example. I never managed to come up with it. So it turns out that reduce may take "spending". If you find some other examples with gerunds, please, post.

 

[Raymott]

Great example. I never managed to come up with it. So it turns out that reduce may take "spending". If you find some other examples with gerunds, please, post.

Another complication is that there is a gradation between the verbal and the noun function of gerunds, such that some uses of 'gerunds' are more similar to simple nouns. Unfortunately, 'spending' is one such example.
"We need to reduce government spending." This has the force of, "We need to reduce government expenditure", not *"We need to reduce government spending our money" which has a more verbal meaning.

Here are some more '-ing' nouns like 'spending' with an incorrect 'verbal' version:
"We need to reduce government funding." not *"We need to reduce government funding overseas ventures."
"The police want to reduce looting." not *"The police want to reduce looting shops."
"Legal language reduces understanding of insurance policies." not *"Legal language reduces understanding insurance policies.

I'm not an expert on this verb-noun gradation of gerunds (if the above examples are gerunds). So, I'll leave others to sort it out.