to 的使用方式.

[Mandy]

Hello, anyone there can help me, I confused how to use "to" !!

As in most of time we know the word following "to" should be infinitive, but I somtimes found , following "to" also can put V-ing(gerund), why is that.

Sentence example:
We are looking forward to hearing from you soon.

So, any body could let me know why we can use this way? thank you so much.

[jerry2508]

Hi, Mandy. How are you doing?

"TO" can be used as an infinitive as well as a preposition. When it's used as a preposition, It's followed by either a V-ing or a noun.

I think you are used to "TO" being followed by a noun when it is a preposition.
A.(n.+ TO +n.)
the damage TO the car 對這輛汽車的損壞
an invitation TO the party 派對的一張邀請函
a solution TO the problem 問題的解釋方式
his attitutde TO his job 他對工作的態度

B.( adj.+TO+n. )
be similar TO mine 跟我的類似
be used TO the food 習慣這種食物
be married TO a Britishman 跟一個英國人節結婚

C.(v.+TO+n.)
talk TO me 跟我講話
shout TO him 對著我叫
invite a few people TO their wedding 邀一些人到他們的婚晏
prefer tea TO coffee 較喜歡茶多於咖啡
cater TO your need 迎合你的需要
dance TO the music 隨著這音樂跳舞

But often time , we need to say a verb ,instead of a noun, after some phrases that end in a preposition-TO (it looks like an infinitive-to, but actually not), we got to use v-ing form.
I'm afraid that these(the following) are what you are not used TO:

D. (...+TO+V-ing)
prefer staying at home TO going with you寧可待在家不想跟你去
look forward TO seeing you
be used TO taking a walk after a meal 習慣餐後散個步

I think there is no short cut TO it. All it takes is to memorize these phrases in which TO is used as a preposition, if you get the whole picture.
I myself slip up from time time to time. No worries!
!


Anyone wanna add something TO it??

[Mandy]

Hello Jerry, thank you for your greetings.

The explanation for using "to" you advised is very very clear, thank you for your sharing !!

[jerry2508]

More phrases that end with TO and should be followed by [v-ing], instead of [root v].

(1)...找出時間寫... After a long delay, he got round/around to writing the letter.(朗文片語動詞辭典p.284)

.(2)..抽空討論.. The commitee will come round/around to discussing your suggestion.(朗文片語動詞辭典p.284)

(3)...鼓動/教唆她作弊... I have no idea who put her up to cheating (朗文片語動詞辭典p.603, 定義1)

(4)...回去挖掘... I'll get back to digging the garden in ten minutes. (朗文片語動詞辭典p.256.get back to,定義3)

(5)...開始在想... Recently I've got to wondering why I'm in this job..(朗文片語動詞辭典p.286, 定義5)


以上片語根據語意需要，TO後面當然也可以跟名詞。

[Wayne]

A small tip on "to" as a preposition "to" or an infinitive "to":

If you see "to" is included in the phrase in a dictionary, it's a preposition "to" rather than an infinitive "to". For example, you will see "look forward to". If it were an infinitive "to", it would appear in the dictionary as "look forward" (or "look forward" + to-V). You can double check with the examples in the dictionary or articles you read.

[Wayne]

More phrases that end with TO and that should be followed by v.+ing, instead of root v..

...回去挖掘...(4) I'll get back to digging the garden in ten minutes.

...

Should it be "get back to-V"?

[Collins Cobuild Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs]:
Eddie wanted to get back to sleep.
Now I really have to get back to work.

[jerry2508]

A small tip on "to" as a preposition "to" or an infinitive "to":

If you see "to" is included in the phrase in a dictionary, it's a preposition "to" rather than an infinitive "to".

Well....mmm...it doesn't quite work that way...
What about...
"would like TO + rt.V",
"feel like to + rt.V",
"have to + rt.V",
"have got to + rt.V"
"need to + rt.V"...........
They are phrases that end with an infinitive TO, instead of preposition TO, and they're all in the dictionary...

平時我們說 :
...回覆你...I'll get back to you(n.) as soon as I can.( on the phone)
...回來討論你的問題...We'll get back to your question in a minute.( in a class)
可以想像:Both "work" and "sleep" are noun form in the following sentences
...回去工作...Let's get/go back to work(n.).
...睡回籠覺...I'll get/go back to sleep(n.).

By the way, a senior learner/ language user could get lost in the seemingly easy grammar, let along the average levels...like me!!
還有一個重要概念，不是所有"介係詞TO"結尾的動詞片語都適何接"Ving動名詞"，因語意上的關係，大多都只是接 "名詞"而已，這些片語佔大多數， 我稱它們為第一類， 常接動名詞的為第二類，就是我上一篇所舉例的!!

[Wayne]

A small tip on "to" as a preposition "to" or an infinitive "to":

If you see "to" is included in the phrase in a dictionary, it's a preposition "to" rather than an infinitive "to".

Well....mmm...it doesn't quite work that way...
What about...
"would like TO + rt.V",
"feel like to + rt.V",
"have to + rt.V",
"have got to + rt.V"
"need to + rt.V"...........
They are phrases that end with an infinitive TO, instead of preposition TO, and they're all in the dictionary...

平時我們說 :
...回覆你...I'll get back to you(n.) as soon as I can.( on the phone)
...回來討論你的問題...We'll get back to your question in a minute.( in a class)
可以想像:Both "work" and "sleep" are noun form in the following sentences
...回去工作...Let's get/go back to work(n.).
...睡回籠覺...I'll get/go back to sleep(n.).

By the way, a senior learner/ language user could get lost in the seemingly easy grammar, let along the average levels...like me!!
還有一個重要概念，不是所有"介係詞TO"結尾的動詞片語都適何接"Ving動名詞"，因語意上的關係，大多都只是接 "名詞"而已，這些片語佔大多數， 我稱它們為第一類， 常接動名詞的為第二類，就是我上一篇所舉例的!!

(1)
Here’s what I think. In your examples,
"would like TO + rt.V", actually should be "would like” + TO rt.V",
“feel like” is not followed by “to + rt. V”as you said -- it's followed by V-ing (please consult Longman Dictionary or the likes];
either “have to “ or “have got to” is treated as an auxiliary verb and thus is followed by a root verb; "need to + rt.V" should be treated as “need + to-V” .

(2)
You’re right: “work” and “sleep” in my examples are nouns. I also noticed that the phrase appears in the dictionary in the form of “get back to”. Based on my theory, “to” here is supposed to be a “preposition to“, and theoretically it is followed by a gerund. After consulting five major dictionaries, I saw only the usage of
“get back to somebody” and “get back to something”. It suggests that “get back to” is not usually following by a verb unless you treat a gerund as something. You've just mentioned this point. Thanks a lot.

[jerry2508]

(一)有點矛盾的TIP
Well, if your tip doesn't work for you-you couldn't even tell the TO in the phrase "get back to" is a prep.TO when looking it up in a prestigeous dictionary using the tip of your own invention- how would you expect the average learners to distinguish them using your tip?? Ha-ah. This is just not a well-rounded tip.

(二)怎樣的TIP是較好的TIP
Besides, a good tip is like "johnny on the spot" helping us deal with the problems right then and there while reading, writing, talking, or being in an exam.... it's hardly called a good tip if we have to go out of way to consult referece tools and find out why. It's like someone saying that it's a good tip to get back home for the map and find out derections, when you are lost on a mountain-biking tour. Isn't that a bit of a hassle!?

(三)字典中有更多含"不定詞TO"及"副詞TO"的片語(不論位置)， 顯示了最好還是不要知道這個TIP，以免...
When a phrase with a TO appears in a dictionary, it could be a phrasal verb, prepositional verb, a adverbial phrase, an adjetive phrase.... They are all called PHRASES". However, you didn't specify what kind of phrase could be applied to your tip, and almost all dictionaries don't even tell readers what kind of phrase a certain phrase belongs to, unless it's an specialized one.

Sorry, but "have to" "have got to" "would like to" are also considered as phrases in many dictionaries.

Here are more phrases with infi-TOs or adv-TOs to show that the tip you shared doesn't hold water:
片語首:
1. To say the least 一點也不誇張(不定詞TO)
2. To speak the truth 實際上(不定詞TO)
3. To sum up 總而言之(不定詞TO)
4. To and fro 來回 (副詞TO)
5. To say nothing of 更不用說是(不定詞TO)

片語中:
6. needless to say 不用說 (不定詞TO)
7. not to mention 更別說是 (不定詞TO)
8. have something to do with (不定詞TO)
9. have nothing to do with (不定詞TO)
10. as much as to say 就像是說 (不定詞TO)
11. so to speak 也就是說 (不定詞TO)
12. not to worry別擔心 (不定詞TO)
13. not to say 即使不說 (不定詞TO)

片語尾:
14. used to + V 曾經做 (不定詞TO)
15. be able to + V (不定詞TO)
16. manage to + V (不定詞TO)
17. fail to + V (不定詞TO)
18. be afraid to + V (不定詞TO. be afraid of+ving)
19. get to+ V (口語)可以，得以(不定詞TO)
20. prefer to + V (不定詞TO. prefer to兩字不可分時)

21. happen to + V 碰巧(不定詞TO)
22. set to 開始認真起來(副詞TO)
23. stand to 就備戰位置(副詞TO)
24. come to 恢復(副詞TO)
25.bring to 恢復(副詞TO)
26. put to 關緊(副詞TO)
27. be determined to+ V (不定詞TO)
28. be inclined to+ V (不定詞TO)
29. be intended to+ V (不定詞TO)
30. tend to+ V (不定詞TO. 也可當介詞TO後接名詞)

31. go on to + V 繼續(不定詞TO)
32. have a great/good mind to+ V 真想 (不定詞TO)
33. eager to + V (不定詞TO)
34. feel itchy to + V 極想 (不定詞TO)
35. be obliged to + V 不得不 (不定詞TO)
36. be about to+ V (不定詞TO)
37. be bound to+ V (不定詞TO)
38. be destined to+ V (不定詞TO)
39. be sure to + V (不定詞TO)
40. be glad to + V (不定詞TO)

41. be delighted to+ V (不定詞TO)
42. be pleased to + V (不定詞TO)
43. be compelled to+ V (不定詞TO)
44. in order to (不定詞TO)
45. so as to (不定詞TO)
46. be too ready to (不定詞TO)
47. be likely to (不定詞TO)
48. feel free to (不定詞TO)
49. stand to + V 很可能會 (不定詞TO)
50....................

Please don't tell us that prepositional verbs, adverbial phrases, conj-phrases, and adjetive phrases... should be ruled out. or an infinitive TO is not part of the phrase. IT IS part of the phrase because the rest of the phrase alone doesn't make sense in most of the cases. At least this is how these phrases appear in the dictionaries.

而且如果事情有這麼簡單，只是一個TIP，就能完全斷定「字典片語裡的TO都是介詞TO」的話，許多的書籍字典就不必那麼費事在每個詞條旁邊都要標示本片語的TO是什麼TO了!!
With so much "living proof" of infinitive-TOs and adv-TOs in the phrases, do you still believe in your tip whatsoever ?? :roll:

[jerry2508]

Should it be "get back to-V"?

“get back to somebody” and “get back to something”. It suggests that “get back to” is not usually following by a verb unless you treat a gerund as something.

...回去挖掘...(4) I'll get back to digging the garden in ten minutes.
(朗文片語動詞辭典p.256.get back to,定義3)

If anyone got any problems with the example sentences in Longman English-Chinese Dictionary of phrasal Verbs, write them. I think they would be pleased to clear up your doubt.