"to be about to" vs "on the verge of"

[Majid72]

Hello.

I wonder if there is any difference between the two sentences?

The country is on the verge of becoming prosperous and successful

The country is about to become prosperous and successful

Thanks.

[Cerberus™]

Almost the same, though "on the verge of" perhaps signifies a more important step than "about to". "On the verge of" should be used for important occasions or in literary language. "About to" is neutral, could be either important or unimportant. "I am about to go to school, may I call you back later?"

In form, the difference is, as you see in your own examples, that "on the verge of" is followed by an -ing form or noun whereas "about to" is followed by an infinitive.