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Sane1 Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Particle/Gerund

I understand that "looking forward to see you" is incorrect and that it has to be "seeing". But why? I don't find a thorough explanation of this in any grammar book.
It is a good way to get (or getting) old?
Could someone please explain to me when exactly you have to add "ing" after "to"?
  

Top answer

Hi, In the "looking forward to seeing you" the word 'to' is a preposition (not the particle 'to' of the infinitive 'to see') and as such is always followed by a pronoun, noun or noun equivalent, for example a noun clause. Here, the preposition 'to' is followed by the gerund (a verbal noun).

— Anonymous

  • Hi, In the "looking forward to seeing you" the word 'to' is a preposition (not the particle 'to' of the infinitive 'to see') and as such is always followed by a pronoun, noun or noun equivalent, for example a noun clause.
  • Here, the preposition 'to' is followed by the gerund (a verbal noun).
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13 Answers
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Hi,

In the "looking forward to seeing you" the word 'to' is a preposition (not the particle 'to' of the infinitive 'to see') and as such is always followed by a pronoun, noun or noun equivalent, for example a noun clause. Here, the preposition 'to' is followed by the gerund (a verbal noun).
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sane1looking forward to see you
Could someone please explain to me when exactly you have to add "ing" after "to"?
I haven't seen a really good explanation either, but I'm sure one exists somewhere.

In "looking forward to," "to" is a preposition, and is part of the expression.

I'm looking forward to school. "To school" is not an i
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The only context I can imagine where the usage of the "I'm looking forward to see" could be somehow accepted is of a seaman on the look-out watch, at sea, during a dense fog.
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LOL! I'm looking forward to sea!Emotion: wink

Edit. I did not mean to disparage your suggestion. It's quite corr
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By the way, Welcome to English Forums, sane. Thanks for joining us! [<:o)]

Best wishes, - A.
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Sometimes to is an infinitive marker; sometimes it is a preposition.

See

CJ
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CalifJim The -ing form is used with all prepositions
After racking my brain unsuccessfully for a counterexample, I was about to ask you if there might be such a "rule."

Then I thought, Hey, why not go out on a limb and check the link?

Rules are so wonderful! They relieve us of having to think!
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Are you saying that the both forms (get and getting) are correct here?
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Are you saying that the both forms (get and getting) are correct here?
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