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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Get back to sleep or ...sleeping

Hi,

'He woke up and couldn't get back to sleeping/sleep.' Which is correct 'sleep or sleeping'?Why?

Thanks
  

Top answer

Back to sleep. Because that is the collocation we use, that is all. 'Sleep' is the preferred noun.

— Mister Micawber

  • Back to sleep.
  • Because that is the collocation we use, that is all.
  • 'Sleep' is the preferred noun.
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3 Answers
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Back to sleep.

Because that is the collocation we use, that is all. 'Sleep' is the preferred noun.
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Mister MicawberBack to sleep. Because that is the collocation we use, that is all. 'Sleep' is the preferred noun.
Hi,

Does this mean that any 'v+ing' standing in place of a noun after 'get back to...'is incorrect ,or there are exceptions?

Thanks.
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Does this mean that any 'v+ing' standing in place of a noun after 'get back to...'is incorrect -- Not at all; I doubt that many of them have appropriate nouns. 'Sleep' may in fact be an exception. Offhand (where the meaning is 'return to a former action or condition') they seem to favor the -ing form:

I couldn't get back to sleep after waking up last night.

I coul
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