[Grammar] Essental to doing/do something

[nininaz]

Hello All,
This context is extracted from book '504 Essential Words'.

"Several layers of thin clothing are essential to keeping warm in frigid climates"

Is it correct to use 'keeping' instead of 'keep' in the above sentence as in the dictionary we have the form ' it is essential to do something', and this is 6th edition of Barron's book. I doubt that they may make such a big mistake !

Example: essential - Definition from Longman English Dictionary Online
it is essential to do something It is essential to book in advance. ( Can we revise it as ' It is essential to booking in advance.)?

 

[emsr2d2]

For me, either "essential to keep warm" or "essential for keeping warm" would work but not the original.

 

[ChinaDan]

"Several layers of thin clothing are essential to keeping warm in frigid climates"

Is it correct to use 'keeping' instead of 'keep' in the above sentence as in the dictionary we have the form ' it is essential to do something', and this is 6th edition of Barron's book. I doubt that they may make such a big mistake !

I like the sentence. I see what you are saying about "keep", and I also see the point in post #2, however, I get the sense we are talking about survival here, not just avoiding discomfort.

In the context, "keeping" works for me; it is a process, an ongoing battle. This is the picture the sentence, as it is, paints for me.

Also, normally I would agree with #2, and prefer to use "for keeping warm" instead of "to keeping warm". However - and I can't put my finger on why - I prefer "to" in this context. It strengthens the relationship somehow, and that just seems to fit here.

 

[jutfrank]

I distinguish three different constructions using essential:

• to be essential to something (= to be an essential part (the essence) of something)
• to be essential to do something (= to be very important to do something)
• to be essential for something (= to be very important for something/somebody)

The example you give uses the first construction.

 

[teechar]

I note that the same question was asked at the same time on another forum.
https://www.englishforums.com/English/EssentialDoingSomething/bklhwp/post.htm

In future, please don't post the same question simultaneously to multiple forums; we're all volunteers here and that just wastes our time! Wait until you get some responses on one forum, and if you're not happy with those, then post it elsewhere, mention that you'd asked that question before and provide a link.