Look forward to + -ing

Question

0Hi, I'm wondering what if after the expression "look forward to" I need to use a verb that does not have a continuous form: like "hear"? Would it be correct to say:02br02br00"I look forward to hear from you"?0-

BarbaraPA · Accepted Answer

0Only "I look forward to verbing" sounds right to me, but perhaps this has regional variations.02br
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00I look forward to hearing that concert, to seeing that show, to hearing from you soon, etc.0-

CalifJim · Answer

0 01blockquote

00what if after the expression "look forward to" I need to use a verb that does not have a continuous form12blockquote

10I assure you, that need will never* arise! 05002br
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00 CJ02br
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00 * unless you use the literal "look forward" and the "in order to" meaning:02br
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01i00When walking a tightrope, I look forward to avoid losing my balance.02i02br
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00 CJ02br
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00 Edit: I think I misunderstood your question. Just because a verb "doesn't have a continuous form", i.e., isn't normally used to form continuous tenses, doesn't mean you can't use the 01i00-ing02i00 form at all. You have to use the 01i00-ing02i00 form after a preposition, regardless of the verb.02br
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00 CJ00 010id1

Wolfrolf · Answer

0 Hi,02br
00Look forward to needs an -ing verb regardless of it being a state verb or a verb of sensation. We know that these verbs are not usually used in continuous tenses but it doesn't mean that they can't be used as 01b00gerunds02b00. The problem is that we generally think that gerund (like in 'I like 01b00fishing02b00.') and continuous ('I 01b00am fishing02b00.') are the same thing.02br
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00Gerunds are half verb / half nouns. You can use state verbs as gerunds like in the sentence, 01b00'Knowing she was there he went to see her.'02br
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02b00Continuous tenses can be recognised because they have the verb be as auxiliary verb (be careful with -ing adjectives. 01b00'I am boring.' 02b00is not a continuous sentence. It only means that I am not an interesting person.)02br
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00As a conclusion, the 01b00-ing 02b00verb after look forward to and any other phrasal verb is not a continuous tense, it's a gerund so, the restriction of verbs of sensation and state verbs doesn't apply here.0-

Anonymous · Answer

I look forward to hering from you.

Anonymous · Answer

In your example sentence "knowing she was there he went to see her.", "knowing" is a present participle attributively used with the subject "he". This verb form functions as an adjective and is therefore no gerund in my opinion. A gerund is indeed the noun form (verb used as a noun).

Gerunds:

Fishing is nice. (subject)
The advantages of running are... (after preposition)
I like swimming. (object)

"Gerund" comes from the Latin "Gerundium". This was the noun form of the verb

Look forward to + -ing

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