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Sunsail Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Take steps

Hello,

"Almost 800 have taken the first step to taking their lives by becoming members of Dignitas"

I read this today, can this be written like this ? is there supposed to be a gerund or "to+verb"?

"...have taken the first step to take their lives"?

Thanks
  

Top answer

This is fine. "To" is a preposition. "The first steps toward X" is equally common.

— Avangi

  • This is fine.
  • "To" is a preposition.
  • "The first steps toward X" is equally common.
  • " I can't think of a graceful way to use the infinitive here.
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5 Answers
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This is fine. "To" is a preposition. "The first steps toward X" is equally common.

"These are the first steps to becoming sober."

"These are the first steps toward becoming a priest."

I can't think of a graceful way to use the infinitive here.
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How about this then?

these are the first steps to become sober

thanks
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The problem here is that we have this mess about "to" as a preposition and "to" as an infinitive marker.

Generally speaking, we can use the infinitive and the gerund interchangeably:
I would love to become sober.
I would love becoming sober.

But when we're stuck with an expression which requires a preposition, it gets messy, because the object of a preposition must be no
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Actually
when an intention is put in the sentence, I agree with you, to infinitive is correct.I think this is not related to grammar but meaning.

another example.
when it comes to saying hello
or
when it comes to say hello

either of them correct,is it ?

Thanks
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Yes. I think you've mastered the point.

But don't forget that "to" is a different word in each example. Both versions are grammatically correct. You use the grammar to convey the meaning, whichever meaning you intend.
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