Approach

Question

Approach to teaching grammar is good.Approach to be adopted is good.Are both sentences right? Thus , how can I tell "to" is a prep or a infinitive mark?Can they be replaced by Approach to teach grammar is good.Approach to being adopted is good.Thank you!

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

yzh1978Approach to teaching grammar is good.Approach to be adopted is good.Are both sentences right?

Neither is a good sentence. The grammar of the second is worse than the grammar of the first.

His approach to teaching grammar is good.
His approach to being adopted is good. (However, the meaning is murky)

yzh1978how can I tell "to" is a prep or a infinitive mark?

'To' as the infinitive particle will always be followed by the basic (dictionary) form of the verb.

yzh1978Can they be replaced by Approach to teach grammar is good.Approach to being adopted is good.

No. See my corrected sentences above.

Yzh1978 · Answer

So, as a foreigner, how do I know it should be followed by a "verb basic form" or " a gerund"?" Look forward to" is followed by a gerund whereas "want to " is followed by a basic form of a verb. How do I know?

Mister Micawber · Answer

yzh1978how do I know it should be followed by a "verb basic form" or " a gerund"?

You need to learn the very few idiomatic cases in which 'to' is followed by a gerund. Most of them are preceded by adjectives:

look forward to doing
be opposed to doing
be averse to doing
be used to doing
be devoted to doing
be accustomed to doing
be dedicated to doing
be opposed to doing
object to doing
with a view to doing
etc.

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