What Should We Use after Look Forward to? A Bare-Infinitive or a Gerund?
The phrasal verb look forward to expresses anticipation or excitement about something in the future. Grammatically, it is not followed by the base form of a verb. Instead, it is followed by a noun/noun phrase or a gerund (a noun formed by adding -ing to a verb). In other words, we say look forward to something or look forward to doing something.
Look Forward to + Noun/Noun Phrase
✅ I'm not looking forward to summer. (noun: summer)
✅ My brother is really looking forward to Christmas this year. (noun: Christmas)
✅ We are looking forward to your visit. (noun phrase: your visit)
✅ I look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead. (noun phrase: the opportunities)
Look Forward to + Gerund
✅ I look forward to seeing you at the party tomorrow. (gerund: seeing)
❌ I look forward to see you at the party tomorrow.
✅ Kim looks forward to starting her new job. (gerund: starting)
❌ Kim looks forward to start her new job.
✅ The students are looking forward to participating in the school talent show. (gerund: participating)
❌ The students are looking forward to participate in the school talent show.
✅ Chris is looking forward to learning something new every day in his online courses. (gerund: learning)
❌ Chris is looking forward to learn something new every day in his online courses.
Why Is It Wrong to Say Look Forward to Do Something?
To is a word with two distinct functions. It serves as an infinitive marker, indicating that the following word is an infinitive (e.g. to play, to try, and to sing). It can also function as a preposition, which is followed by a noun/noun phrase or a gerund (e.g. He's gone to the library.).
When to is used as a preposition, as in the case of the phrasal verb look forward to, it is followed by the gerund form (-ing) of a verb, but not the infinitive. Several other common expressions that demonstrate this are be/get used to, object to, in addition to, and get round to:
✅ Despite the initial discomfort, I've got used to wearing braces on my teeth.
❌ Despite the initial discomfort, I've got used to wear braces on my teeth.
✅ The employees object to working in unsafe conditions.
❌ The employees object to work in unsafe conditions.
✅ In addition to studying for the exam, I need to finish my homework.
❌ In addition to study for the exam, I need to finish my homework.
✅ He never got round to reading that book he received as a gift.
❌ He never got round to read that book he received as a gift.
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| The entry for the phrasal verb look forward to in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary |
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Examples from the Media
I look forward to meeting interested people over the next month. —The Sydney Morning Herald (2018)
He has had great success so we are looking forward to coming up against one of his teams. —Daily Mail (2022)
Sharif said on Saturday his country looked forward to cooperating with Switzerland on managing the effects of climate change and receiving an advanced weather warning system from the European country. —Toronto Star (2023)
"President Duterte wishes President-elect Trump success in the next four years as Chief Executive and commander-in-chief of the U.S. military, and looks forward to working with the incoming administration for enhanced Philippines-U.S. Relations anchored on mutual respect, mutual benefit and shared commitment to democratic ideals and the rule of law," Duterte's spokesman, Martin Andanar, said in a short statement, according to GMA News. —The Washington Post (2016)
Real-World Examples of Misuse
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| (Source: 英文文法精讀與練習) |
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