Leçon d’anglais – gérondif ou infinitif après la particule TO ?

The verbal preposition “to” is usually followed by the infinitive. There are however exceptions and particular rules. If you meet following criteria you will use the gerund “to + -ing“:  

1. phrasal verbs (to look forward to keep on, to give up, … )
2. participle adjectives + preposition (to be committed to, addicted to, ….)
3. noun + preposition (addiction to, devotion to, …)

Observing closely the list above you will  notice that the preposition “to” is always associated with a verb or a word deriving from a verb:

• • Verb: to devote oneself to something
  • Adjective: to be devoted to something
  • Noun: the devotion to something

But the same can be found with  phrasal verbs having prepositions other than “to”:

• • Verb: to involve oneself in something
  • Adjective: to be involved in something
  • Noun: the involvement in something

General rule: All verbs following a prepositions are in gerund! 

Verb and verbal derivatives: Some verbs can be turned into an adjective or noun. When they are phrasal verbs, also the adjective or noun derivative will follow the same general rule: All verbs following a preposition are in gerund: “He is devoted to his working with young people.” (adjective) or “He is devoted to working with young people.” (verb) or “His devotion to working with young people.” (noun)

Adjectives or nouns not deriving from a verb cannot take the gerund:

• • the danger, dangerous > Verb: “to danger“: “It is dangerous to cross this river.” Not: “It is dangerous to crossing this river.”
  • the shame, shameful > Verb “to shame” but “to ashame“: “He is ashamed to admit that he  still cannot read.” Not: “He is ashamed to admitting …”.

Phrasal verbs (prepositional verbs)

Phrasal verbs are verbs with prepositions that change the meaning of the original verb): For example: “to look” > “to look for” (to search), “to look after” > (to care) … These are usually followed by the gerund:

• • A system of security training looks after making  staff members aware of security questions and providing further training.
  • I recommend that we look at taking the fresh food from the market.
  • I look forward to seeing you.

Attention: In some situations the “to” can refer to a general and continuous action (a process, an ongoing activity) or an individual, not recurring action.

• • • General or continuous (ongoing) action or process: “There are serious dangers to swimming in a quarry.” > The (act of) swimming is dangerous. BUT: “It is dangerous to swim in a quarry.”
    • Unique or individual, not recurring action:   “This sign informs people at the beach about the dangers to swim in unguarded open waters.” When unguarded, individual situation: “You may check with: “… about the dangers to go swimming” (when the beach is unguarded).

Sometimes it may be open to interpretation whichever way you see it, and the one or the other turn of phrase may be right. Therefore it is useful to use another way of saying it, if in doubt:

• • • “There are serious dangers to swimming in a quarry.” (stress on doing it repeatedly. You may be lucky once, but if you continue doing it, you man not be so lucky one time!)
    • “There are serious dangers to swim in a quarry.” (stress on any time, each individual time. So, simply going swimming in a quarry will be dangerous even for the first time, which might be the last time!)

If in doubt use another way of saying it: 

• • • • It is dangerous to swim in a quarry.
      • Swimming in a quarry is dangerous.
      • To go swimming in a quarry is dangerous.

Participle adjectives with prepositions

Participle adjectives (adjectives deriving from a phrasal verbs), that is followed by a preposition are in gerund:

• •  addicted to: “He is addicted to watching television. (He is addicted to television).
  • committed to: “He is committed to developing new partnerships.” (He is committed to the development of partnerships.)
  • opposed to: “The company is opposed to taking the risks.” (The company is opposed to the risks.)
  • devoted to: “She is devoted to singing.” (Her devotions is singing / songs / music.)
  • used to: “He is used to working in a multicultural environment.” (He is used to the multicultural environment.)

Attention: “to be used to” and “to use to do sth.” : Do not confuse with the verb: “to use to”: “He uses to go for a walk twice a day.” > “He used to go for a walk twice a day.”

The same rule applies for adjectives with other prepositions: 

• • to be afraid of: “She is afraid of swimming in the river.” (He is afraid of / the swimming / the danger when swimming in the river.)
  • to be fond of: “He is fond of listening to folk music.” (He is fond of folk music.)
  • to be fed up with: “She is fed up with being asked when she will have a baby.” (She is fed up with questions about her future baby.”
  • to be involved in: “She is involved in supporting young artists.” (She is involved in the support of young artists.)

After non participle adjectives followed by the preposition “to” normally you would not expect a gerund

• • Before you start the experiment it is important to analyse the results from the laboratory first. (less “… is important to analysing”)
  • For excellent quality it is critical to hire qualified workers and assure decent wages to live on, and best working conditions. (less “… is critical to hiring … and assuring”)

If a participle is not an adjective it is not in gerund!

• • “He continues to practice regularly yoga.” > “He continued to* practice regularly yoga.”

*Not an adjective here!

Noun + preposition

• •  addiction to: “His addiction to playing video games.” (His addiction to video games.”)
  • commitment to: “Russia’s commitment to supporting Africa’s development efforts.” (Russia’s commitment to the support of Africa’s development efforts.)
  • opposition to: “The government’s opposition to renationalising key industrial sectors.” (The government’s opposition to the renationalisation of key industrial sectors.)
  • devotion to: “Her devotion to caring for her sick father began to take its toll on her, when she was working 8 hours in a hospital and continued to care for his father until late at night for over three years.” (“Her devotion to the care of his father …”

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(c) Frank Moerschner, 2021