Quote:
Originally Posted by Niall Beag No, in that case it should be to establish. I can't explain why, but I'll think about it and get back to you if I can.... |
It's in the verb's subcategorization frame:
give + someone + something to do.
Active: The school should give teachers enough room
to do something.
Passive: Teachers should be given enough room
to do something.
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albertino, there is a way to test whether
to functions as a preposition or a particle.
If
to is short for
towards, it's a preposition:
preposition
10 steps to establishing a fund
10 steps towards establish a fund
If to is short for in order to, it's a particle: particle
Teachers should be given enough room in order to establish a collaborative mechanism.
Teachers should be given enough room to establish a collaborative mechanism.
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engee30,
to establishing does indeed work here--at least in my dialect.

... teachers should be given enough room towards establishing a collaborative mechanism ...
... teachers should be given enough room to establishing a collaborative mechanism ...
But given that to is ambiguous in that position; i.e., to(wards); (in order) to, a good writer would have spelt/spelled out the word towards.
In sum, the particle lead infinitive
to establish has my vote.