-ing after preposition and to+ing
If we use a preposition in English and after it we have a verb, we must use the -ing form or the verb (or present participle or sometimes also gerund).
Examples:
I am afraid of sleeping alone.
She left without greeting.
They spoke about working together.
etc.
The only word that looks like a preposition but isn't and therefore doesn't take an -ing form of the verbs that follows is "to". This happens especially when it is part of an infinitive. As a result the verb that follows " to" takes the basic or simple form with very few exceptions
I want to go to Madrid.
They have to work until late.
He happened to be nearby.
Example of exceptions: I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
I would appreciate it if you could give more example with to + -ing
10 Answers
Hola polenta, eso ocurre cuando se trata de "phrasal verbs" que lleven to.
look forward to , como tú misma dijiste.
No creo que haya muchos...yo me sé unos pocos de memoria:
to get round to : I never got round to correcting that essay he sent me.
stick to : you should stick to speaking English, your French is horrible.
be entitled to : he thinks he is entitled to robbing others of their freedom.
I am sure there must be more of them.
very interesting question, polenta, no es nada común esta construcción.
I think the only person that really understood my question was Heidita. And it's only normal because she's a native Spanish speaker and knows our problems. I'm not really interested in grammar analysis and yes I can call "to play" an infinitive and "play" the simple, basic or bare form or the verb.
I'm not asking about :
1) Continuious tenses (I am studying)
2 -ing adjectives (She is a working mother)
3 A noun in a subject or object position in the sentence. (Swimming is healthy)
5 After a preposition ( He is interested in collecting stamps)
6 After certain verbs ( They suggested going to the park)
I'm asking about the use of ´- ing after the word "to", which is in my experience very unusual because most of the times the verb after the word "to" is in its basic, simple or bare form)
Of course I can understand if it's a phrasal verb ending in to but I've seen others like "objected to + -ing" or "committed to + -ing".
Good question Polenta.
I think your example sentence works because the "to" is part of the phrase "looking forward to" and what follows is actually a gerund. I can think of plenty of examples where the -ing is a gerund:
I prefer walking to running.
He's going to swimming.
Or as an adjective:
She went to skating class.
I'm still thinking about -ing as a verb though - I'll be back ...
... nope. I don't think there are any exceptions. Any -ing form of a verb that follows "to" will be a gerund, no matter how closely it resembles a verb. If anybody can think of an exception I'd be happy to change my opinion 
Some more examples following Heidi's suggestion:
Compared to: Walking is easy when compared to running
Likened to: Walking can be likened to strolling
Resort to: I sometimes resort to swearing
Refer to: He is referring to cooking
Polenta:
There are several good articles on the use of the gerund after to. Here are a couple:
You can find others by googling - gerund after to
acostumbrarse a - to be/get used to
I can't get used to getting up so early.
I can't get used to these cold temperatures. (noun)
limitarse a - to limit oneself to
I am going to limit myself to eating one dessert.
I am going to limit myself to a diet without any meat. (noun phrase)
llevar a - to lead to
That habit will lead to ruining your health.
That habit will lead to an early death. (noun phrase)
pasar a to go on to
Later, he went on to running for president. (run would work OK here also, probably better)
Later, he went on to great things. (noun phrase)
resignarse a - to resign oneself to
He resigned himself to thinking about the possibility of better days ahead.
He resigned himself to becoming a congressman rather than a senator.
She resigned herself to the inevitability of a slow death. (noun phrase)
Note: I chose these verbs from a list of Spanish verbs that require the preposition "a" when followed by an infinitive. Many of these verbs have a "to" tacked on in the English translation. This notion may help you to figure out when a gerund could follow "to" for some English verbs. But the basic, probably easier rule, is that if a noun could fit, then so could a gerund.
Actually, I should rephrase that last part. Being able to insert a noun after "to" is a necessary, but not sufficient condition for use of the gerund.
For example:
I am going to Chicago.
I am going to let you do what you want.
It would be difficult, if not impossible, to insert a gerund after "to" in this case, even though a noun works just fine.
Hello!
This link from 2009 that ian-hill answered might be pertinent to this subject. form -ing versus infinitive
Hope this helps.
Regards!
Here's Sir Ian's answer:
Hi Nila - I am not sure if this will help you - I wrote it some years ago for my students.
-ING is a very important, but confusing, word ending in English.
For all verbs ING can be added to the basic verb form to make an –ing form.
Examples: do > doING, eat > eatING, live > livING etc.
Many adjectives and nouns are made by adding –ing to the verb:
e.g. the adjective: The person is missING.
or the noun: The feelING is mutual.
( These can be called "–ing adjectives" and "–ing nouns" )
The –ing form of a verb has two uses:
With the verb TO BE, it makes the progressive form of the verb phrase:
Examples: We were eating. He is playing. I am singing.
Without the verb TO BE, it forms the –ing participle, which is the first verb of an –ing clause. Examples: I like reading. I like reading novels.
The –ing participles are also called GERUNDS and they act, grammatically, like nouns.
Note: There are no strict rules about when you can use the gerund form and when you can not. You have to learn when you can/should do it.
Do not confuse the ….
….. –ing form of the verb (progressive) with –ing nouns (gerunds) or –ing adjectives.
Examples: You’re smoking too much these days. (progressive verb)
There was a smoking cigarette end I the ashtray. (adjective)
Smoking is bad for you. (noun / gerund Subject of sentence)
How to recognize the different –ing forms.
A) -ing nouns (gerunds) often have plurals (progressives do not)
Examples: meetings warnings drawings
-ing nouns (gerunds) can follow a determiner ( the, a, an )
Examples: the meaning of life, some dirty washing, an oil painting
-ing nouns (gerunds) can follow an adjective
Examples: The long meeting. The dire warning. The beautiful drawing.
-ing nouns (gerunds) can also come before another noun.
Examples: dining room, closing time, heating system,
-ing adjectives can come before a noun.
Examples: the following night, a paying guest, growing children,
-ing adjectives can often come after an adverb of degree.
Examples: very surprising, quite promising, so charming
-ing forms of the verb are progressives when they go before
an object Examples: buying a present, driving the bus,
a complement Examples: becoming old, feeling tired,
an adverb Examples: singing beautifully, living alone
Notes: After a main verb (love, like, etc.) the infinitive often describes a possible action, while an –ing clause describes the actual performance of the action.
Example: I’d love to visit Machu Picchu but I don’t have the time. I like visiting Machu Picchu, because it is a very spiritual experience.
Do not use consecutive infinitive forms OR two –ing forms of a verb.
Example: I’d like to begin to study as soon as possible. NOT - I like beginning studying as soon as possible. Better is - I’d like to begin studying as soon as possible.
Sometimes it is difficult to decide if a word is a progressive verb or an –ing noun (gerund)
Examples: I enjoy dancing. Farming is the biggest industry in the world.
Oct 11, 2009 | Edited by ian-hill Oct 11, 2009 | link | history | flag edit
¿Cómo se llega a Reading, Pennsylvania?
How do you get to Reading, Pennsylvania?
delete
Another example would be:
“Having to press the button on the radio is such a drag. It’s easier to use the remote.”
«Tener que presionar el botón del radio es un rollo. Es más fácil usar el remoto.»
