TO +'ing'

[Falcon]

Hi people,

I'm here again...

Can anybody tell me when do I have to use TO +'ing'? I can't understand it... I know that we use "to" for infinitive purposes, among other things, but I can't make it out.

Can you help me?

Thanks,

Falcon

[Barb_D]

Can you give an example of where you saw a "to [verb]ing" used?

The only example that I can think of is something like "What time do we have get get to swimming?" in which I would use "swimming" as a short hand form of "swim team practice."

[Falcon]

Ok, this is one of the examples I have read:

"Today Ambrosia issued a statement to TUAW saying that they remain committed to making iToner work with the iPhone..."

Thanks,

Falcon

[Barb_D]

The to "goes with" the committed, not with the making.

Making it work is what they are committed to.

[not a teacher]

[Falcon]

and this one:

"An elementary approach to thinking under uncertainty..."

Could I say "An elementary approach to think under uncertainty..." ?

Falcon

[Barb_D]

Sometimes an -ing is a participle - I am running out to the store, or I am thinking of a number between 1 and 10.

But sometimes and -ing is a gerund, which acts like a noun.

I like running - here running in a noun meaning "the activity of running."

Thinking hard in class all day is exhausting - here, thinking is a noun meaning "the activity of thinking."

An elementary approach to [the process of] thinking under uncertainty uses the gerund form of thinking, not the participle form.

And this is where if I were a teacher, instead of a writer, I'd be able to explain it better, but I hope that I helped a little. If not, we'll wait for a legitimate teacher to come along.

[Falcon]

Hello Barb_D,

Thanks for helping! Now I got it!

Well, I think you are an excellent teacher...


Falcon

[Barb_D]

Well, I'm glad to hear that it helped! You're welcome.