How can you tell what to use

To achieving is probably not correct. What is the sentence? Here is an example of "to achieve."

He wanted to achieve the highest award in literature.

I think you may be talking about patterns like "I look forward to achieving all my goals this year".

I also think you just asked the same question recently.


See

CJ

CalifJim"I look forward to achieving all my goals this year".

CJ is correct. The rule is if the verb is a phrasal verb with "to" then you can use the gerund as the object.

If the verb is a catenative verb, and takes an infinitive object, then the infinitive is proper.

He helped me to achieve my goals.
I remembered/forgot to achieve my g

Thanks for the reply.

I did ask a similar question a few days ago. I couldn't figure out how to find my posts. I gave up looking and assigned myself an ID and started from scratch.

Again, thanks.

Nannette999

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A-

Calif Jim,

Thanks for your reply, I read the blurb on to + -ing and it was helpful. But now I have another question: When writing a paraghrap, how do you know to use to + -ing? This is a question that is reallly vexing my student and myself. Is there a rule I can tell her or do I just say, "because it looks/sounds right"?

nannette999When writing a paraghrap, how do you know to use to + -ing?

If you read CJ's explanation (I copied it below), you will have seen three different patterns

Pattern 1:
noun + to + -ing
The nouns all have a sense of direction, and "to" naturally follows.
path +to; key + to, secret +to, objection + to

A noun or gerun