English Language Discussion Forums

#1 27-Aug-2003, 12:05

"We look forward to meeting with you ..." - In this construction is "meeting" a Gerund or an Infinitive. If gerund then why it follows "to" and if not then why not "to meet". Kindly answer.

Regards
S. Ghatak
Kolkata, India

dduck · #2 27-Aug-2003, 17:58

"We look forward to meeting with you ..."

You can usually tell if a verb is functioning as a gerund by substituting other nouns to see if the sentence continues to make sense. So ...

"We look forward to it" - sounds okay to me!

So "meeting with you" is functioning as a gerund phrase.

Perhaps, it might help you if you consider the word 'to' to belong to the verbal phrase 'to look forward to' rather than the verb 'to meet'.

Iain

**Tdol** · #3 27-Aug-2003, 19:57

If you have two prepositions in a phrasal verb, and 'to' is the last, then we use a gerund.

**RonBee** · #4 28-Aug-2003, 07:24

A suggestion. Say: "Why does it follow "to"?

:)

norlina · #5 20-Sep-2006, 08:31

To as preposition will take gerund, while to as infinitive will take verb.
E.g:

I look forward to hearing from you. (to preposition)

I am going to cut my hair today. (to infinitive)

Humble · #6 21-Sep-2006, 04:27

Hi Norlina,
You may have made a mistake:
I am going to have my hair cut today - is better, unless you are really going to do it yourself.