Confusion often arises as to when to use the 'ing' form of a verb after the particle
'to':
>> I am looking forward TO SEEING you.
>> I want TO SEE you.
>> I checked with a view TO FINDING a
pencil.
'To' in both regards is used to perform two
distinct functions: as infinitive and as preposition.
On the one hand, when it is used as
infinitive, it is part of a verb and it is usually used to realise 'to' nominal
clause:
>> I
/ want / TO SEE YOU.
S/
P/ O
Here, 'to' is functioning as a part of the
verb 'see' and so both of them would be regarded as 'to' infinitive. In the
above sentence, 'I' is the subject, 'want' is the predicator while 'to see you'
is a nominal clause functioning as the object. The point being made here is
that 'to' infinitive is usually used to realise nominal clause. To clarify that
'to see you' is a nominal clause, we may apply some passivisation rule:
>> TO SEE YOU is what I want.
Here, the nominal clause is no longer
functioning as the object but as the subject.
Other examples of 'to' as infinitive are:
>> I want TO GO HOME.
>> I like TO SAY MORE.
>> I need TO PLAY LESS.
On the other hand, 'to' as a preposition is
usually used to realise prepositional phrase.
The structure of a prepositional phase is
PREPEND+NOMINAL STRUCTURE where prepend is understood to be any preposition.
The following illustration may help proceed the explanation:
>> I am going / TO
/ THE MARKET.
Prepend /Nominal
>>
... TO /
LONDON
Prepend / Nominal
The above examples are not problematic because
the nominal structures are phrases. When the item to occupy the nominal slot is
not a nominal phrase, confusion usually sets in. Let us consider this:
>> This is a sure way TO GAINING
ADMISSION
>> This is a sure way TO THE MARKET
You can see that the two structures are
similar. It is because both of them are grammatically the same (but are
semantically different).
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