Deserve to Do vs. Deserve Doing – Which is Correct?
Both “deserve to do” and “deserve doing” are grammatically correct, but they are not equally common. Use “deserve to do” when the subject performs the action; use “deserve doing” when an action should happen to the subject or an object. In everyday American English, “deserve to be done” is often clearer.
Deserve to Do or Doing – Which is Correct?
Both “deserve to do” and “deserve doing” are valid English constructions, but they express different grammatical relationships.
As with deserve, comparing Help Doing clarifies how verb patterns affect meaning and usage.
Use deserve to do when the subject of deserve is also the person or thing that performs the second action. For example, in “She deserves to win,” she is the one who wins.
Use deserve doing when the noun or pronoun after deserve receives the action expressed by the gerund. For example, “The house deserves painting” means that someone should paint the house. This pattern is grammatically correct, although “The house deserves to be painted” is usually more natural and clearer in American English.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the subject-action test: ask who performs the action after deserve.
- If the subject performs the action, use deserve + to + verb: “They deserve to succeed.”
- If the subject receives the action, use deserve + -ing or, more clearly, deserve to be + past participle: “The proposal deserves reviewing” or “The proposal deserves to be reviewed.”
A useful swap test is to replace doing with to be done. If the meaning remains the same, the -ing construction is probably appropriate.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| deserve to do | Verb + infinitive | Be worthy of performing or experiencing an action | “You deserve to know the truth.” |
| deserve doing | Verb + gerund | Be worthy of having an action performed on or for something | “This issue deserves discussing.” |
How to Use Deserve to Do
Deserve to do is the most common and generally the clearest construction when the subject is the person or thing that will perform the following action. The structure is subject + deserve(s) + to + base verb.
This construction works in casual, academic, professional, and formal writing. It can express a positive entitlement, a fair result, or a negative consequence.
Example 1: After years of hard work, Maya deserves to receive the award.
Example 2: The team deserves to celebrate after winning the championship.
Example 3: Anyone who breaks the rules deserves to face the consequences.
What are the different forms of Deserve to Do?
Deserve is a regular verb. Its main forms are deserve, deserves, deserved, and deserving. After deserve or deserves, use to + the base form of the next verb: “I deserve to rest,” “He deserves to rest,” and “They deserved to rest.”
The verb changes according to tense and subject, but the verb after to does not: “She deserves to win,” not “She deserves to wins.” In negative and question forms, use do, does, or did as appropriate: “They do not deserve to lose” and “Does he deserve to know?”
Etymology of the word Deserve
Deserve comes from the Old French deservir, meaning “to deserve” or “to serve well.” It ultimately derives from the Latin deservire, meaning “to serve diligently.” Over time, its meaning developed into being worthy of a particular reward, treatment, or consequence.
How to Use Deserve Doing
Deserve doing is also grammatically correct. It uses a gerund, an -ing form that functions as a noun. In this pattern, the subject generally receives the action: “The document deserves editing” means that someone should edit the document.
This construction is more common in British English than in American English, but it is understood and used in American English as well. In formal or professional writing, deserve to be done is often preferable because it makes the passive meaning unmistakable.
Example 1: The manuscript deserves revising before publication.
Example 2: This important question deserves answering.
Example 3: The old building deserves preserving for future generations.
What are the different forms of Deserve Doing?
The construction deserve doing combines the regular verb deserve with a gerund. The main verb changes for tense and subject: “The plan deserves examining,” “The plan deserved examining,” and “The plans deserve examining.” The gerund remains in the -ing form.
Because the gerund construction usually has a passive meaning, you can often rewrite it as deserve to be + past participle: “The plan deserves examining” becomes “The plan deserves to be examined.” This alternative is especially useful when clarity matters.
Etymology of the word Doing
Doing is the present participle and gerund form of the Old English verb do. The verb comes from Old English don, meaning “to put, place, make, or perform.” In modern English, doing can describe an action in progress or function as a noun, as it does in the phrase “deserve doing.”
Related Concepts
Understanding infinitives, gerunds, and active or passive meaning makes the difference between these constructions much easier to recognize.
- Infinitives: An infinitive consists of to plus the base form of a verb, as in “to learn” or “to succeed.” After deserve, it normally identifies an action performed by the subject.
- Gerunds: A gerund is an -ing verb form used as a noun. In “The book deserves reading,” reading names an action that should be performed on the book.
- Active voice: In “The student deserves to win,” the subject performs the action of winning.
- Passive voice: In “The student deserves to be praised,” the subject receives the action. This is often the clearest alternative to “The student deserves praising.”
Examples from Media and Literature
Writers in journalism, fiction, film dialogue, and reviews use both patterns. The following examples show how the constructions work in realistic contexts:
- News writing: “The community deserves to know how the funds were spent.” The community is the recipient of information, but it does not perform the action of knowing deliberately; the sentence emphasizes its entitlement to receive the truth.
- Film dialogue: “You deserve to be happy.” The subject is associated with the experience of happiness, so the infinitive construction sounds natural.
- Book reviews: “This remarkable novel deserves reading by anyone interested in history.” The novel receives the action of being read.
- Literary criticism: “The final chapter deserves closer examination.” The chapter is not examining anything; it should be examined by readers or critics.
- Everyday conversation: “You deserve to take a break after that long shift.” The person performs the action of taking a break.
Deserve to Do Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Be worthy of | Have earned or merit a particular action, reward, or result |
| Be entitled to | Have a rightful claim to something |
| Merit | Be deserving of consideration, attention, or action |
| Earn | Gain something through effort, behavior, or achievement |
Deserve Doing Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Merit being done | Be worthy of having a particular action performed |
| Warrant | Justify or require a particular response or action |
| Call for | Need or justify a particular action |
| Need | Require an action to be performed |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “deserve to do” correct?
Yes. “Deserve to do” is correct when the subject performs the action that follows, as in “She deserves to succeed.”
Question 2: Is “deserve doing” grammatically correct?
Yes. “Deserve doing” is correct when the subject receives the action, as in “The issue deserves discussing.” However, “The issue deserves to be discussed” is often clearer and more natural in American English.
Question 3: Should I write “deserve to be done” or “deserve doing”?
Both can be correct when the meaning is passive, but “deserve to be done” is usually the safest choice in American English and in formal writing because it clearly shows who receives the action.
Conclusion
Use deserve to do when the subject performs the action: “They deserve to win.” Use deserve doing when the subject receives the action: “The proposal deserves reviewing.” Because the gerund pattern can sound less familiar, deserve to be done is often the clearest professional alternative. Pro Tip: Choosing the clearest structure strengthens your credibility in workplace and academic writing.
