[Grammar] Infinitive or preposition+ing

[mrmvp]

I am confused between using preposition+ing and the infinitive. I tend to use the infinitive form lest to make mistakes.I do not know when should I use the preposition +ing. For examples,

There are many ways to achieve your goals.

There are many ways in achieving your goals.

There is variety in the colors which facilitate the students in distinguishing between the question and topic as well as suggested sentences for oral practice.

Why is the above sentence not written as?

There is variety in the colors which facilitate the students to distinguish between the question and topic as well as suggested sentences for oral practice.

The other usages of preposition+ing are obvious for me

For example,

He is good at drawing.

 

[jutfrank]

1) There are many ways to achieve your goals.

2) There are many ways in achieving your goals.

3) There is variety in the colors which facilitate the students in distinguishing between the question and topic as well as suggested sentences for oral practice.

4) There is variety in the colors which facilitate the students to distinguish between the question and topic as well as suggested sentences for oral practice.

Only 1) and 3) are correct.

 

[emsr2d2]

4 would be correct if it read "... which facilitate the students' ability to distinguish ..."

 

[mrmvp]

Why 3 is correct not 4? Please help me when to write preposition+ing and when to use the infinitive?Thank you.

 

[jutfrank]

Why 3 is correct not 4? Please help me when to write preposition+ing and when to use the infinitive.Thank you.

This is a big question so first I'll give you some general advice and then some very specific advice.

Firstly, you should research the general uses of to-infinitives. Secondly, you should start thinking in terms of verb patterns. Some verb patterns use the to-infinitive verb form. For example:

to advise somebody to do something
to make it easy for somebody to do something

But importantly, not all verb patterns allow the use of to-infinitives. The verb facilitate is one such example. The correct pattern for this verb is:

to facilitate something

That means you should not use:

to facilitate somebody to do something

Furthermore, I'm advising you now also not to use the pattern:

to facilitate somebody

This is despite the fact that I told you in post #2 that sentence 3) was correct. It is much better to use the correct pattern as shown above, to phrase the sentence as emsr2d2 proposes in post #3.

 

[mrmvp]

Thank you. I do appreciate your help.

These are sentences in infinitive.

We are here to help you.

To err is human.

It is dangerous to go outside. [it, infinitive]

I want to know where is the Case Manager office?


Gerund

Smoking is strickly prohibited in this area.

I love painting.

It is a heart breaking movie.

He is deprived from studying.After preposition.

He is good at drawing.

But when it comes to the following structure,I have no idea why should we use preposition+ing, not infinitive


There is variety in the colors which facilitate the students in distinguishing between the question and topic as well as suggested sentences for oral practice.

 

[jutfrank]

But when it comes to the following structure,I have no idea why should we use preposition+ing, not infinitive

There is variety in the colors which facilitate the students in distinguishing between the question and topic as well as suggested sentences for oral practice.

Like I said in post #5, use: facilitate something

There is variety in the colors which facilitate the students' distinguishing between the question and topic as well as suggested sentences for oral practice.

 

[mrmvp]

Thank you so much.I know that which facilitate makes the sentence better but this is not my question

Why is it correct to write preposition+ing, not the infinitive?

There is variety in the colors which facilitate the students in distinguishing between the question and topic as well as suggested sentences for oral practice

Another example,

"The countries blocking xxxx have failed to provide any concrete evidence that xxxxxx is involved in promoting terrorism.

Why is in the example above, we can say "in promoting" not "to promote."? I put xxxx Instead of the name of the country because it is against the rules and policy of the forum.

 

[jutfrank]

There is variety in the colors which facilitate the students in distinguishing between the question and topic as well as suggested sentences for oral practice

Here is the same answer again: Do not say that. It is not correct. Read the whole thread again.

The countries blocking xxxx have failed to provide any concrete evidence that xxxxxx is involved in promoting terrorism.

Why is in the example above, we can say "in promoting" not "to promote."? I put xxxx Instead of the name of the country because it is against the rules and policy of the forum.

The correct structure is be involved in something. You cannot say be involved to do something.

 

[mrmvp]

I know it is "be involved in something."? What is the grammar? I have no doubt about your experience,but I want to write long sentences.Thank you.

 

[jutfrank]

I know it is "be involved in something."? What is the grammar?

I don't really understand what you're asking. You can say:

be involved in something

which is the passive form of the pattern:

involve somebody in something

Here, involve is a verb, somebody is its object and in something is a preposition phrase.

We use different preposition phrases with different verbs to create meaning. Verbs have meaning and prepositions have meaning and they combine based on this, so you can't use just any preposition (though several may be possible). Further, some verbs can be used with to-infinitives and other can't. Again, it depends on the meaning and use of the verb.

 

[mrmvp]

Thank you.

Are the following sentences correct?

He had involved in smuggling and he confessed

He had involoved to smuggle and he confessed. I think it is Incorrect



Could you please write or provide a link of verbs co occur with infinitive and +verb+preposition+ing?

 

[jutfrank]

He had involved in smuggling and he confessed

He was involved in smuggling.

He had involoved to smuggle and he confessed. I think it is Incorrect

Re-read the whole thread carefully a few more times. These questions have already been answered.

Could you please write or provide a link of verbs co occur with infinitive and +verb+preposition+ing?

I'm not a good person to ask for links to online grammar references, but you can easily find some good ones yourself if you search thoroughly.