B1 · Intermédiaire Chapitre 5

Connecting Ideas with -ing and To

5 Règles totales
60 exemples
5 min
Règles dans ce chapitre Pratique rapide

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of connecting your thoughts smoothly using gerunds and infinitives in everyday conversation.

  • Describe feelings and experiences using adjectives and infinitives.
  • Connect actions after prepositions using gerunds.
  • Express plans and causal relationships with confidence.
Connect your world with confidence and flow.

Ce que tu vas apprendre

Ready to make your English flow better? This chapter helps you effortlessly describe feelings (like 'easy to learn') and exciting plans, so you can sound more natural and confident when you speak. Get ready to connect your thoughts with ease!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Describe your daily routine and future plans using varied verb patterns.

Guide du chapitre

Overview

Mastering how to connect your thoughts smoothly is a huge step in sounding more natural and confident in English. At the B1 level, you're moving beyond basic sentences and really starting to express more complex ideas, feelings, and plans. This guide will show you how to effortlessly link verbs, adjectives, and prepositions using -ing forms (gerunds) and to-infinitives.
This isn't just about passing a grammar test; it's about making your everyday conversations richer and more authentic, whether you're describing how easy it is to learn something new or sharing what you're excited about doing.
Many B1 English grammar learners find that using gerunds and infinitives can feel a bit tricky at first, especially knowing when to use -ing and when to use to. That's why we're breaking down key patterns like Adjective + To-Infinitive, understanding Gerunds After Prepositions, and correctly using phrases like look forward to or verbs like make and let. By the end of this chapter, you'll have a clear understanding of these essential structures, enhancing your ability to connect ideas with -ing and to more effectively and improving your overall fluency.
Get ready to elevate your English communication!

How This Grammar Works

Let's dive into how these structures help you link your ideas seamlessly. First, we often use an Adjective + To-Infinitive to express opinions, feelings, or qualities about an action. For example, "It's easy to learn English or I'm happy to help you." The adjective (easy, happy) describes the *quality* or *feeling* connected to the action (to learn, to help).
This pattern allows you to clearly state how something is perceived.
Next, prepositions are little words that pack a big punch. When a verb follows a preposition, that verb must always take its -ing form, known as a gerund. This is because the gerund acts like a noun.
Think of "I'm good at speaking English or Thanks for coming." Here, 'at' and 'for' are prepositions, so 'speak' becomes speaking and 'come' becomes coming. This rule is crucial for correct sentence structure after words like for, in, about, of, and with.
Building on the gerund, certain common phrases involve go + gerund for leisure activities. If you like sports or hobbies, you often
go swimming,
go shopping,
or
go fishing.
It's a natural way to talk about activities that involve movement and are done for enjoyment. Then there's the special case of look forward to.
Many learners mistakenly use an infinitive here, but the 'to' in 'look forward to' is actually a preposition. Therefore, it must be followed by a gerund: "I'm really looking forward to seeing you or She's looking forward to starting her new job." The 'to' here is part of a fixed expression, not an infinitive marker.
Finally, we have make and let, two powerful verbs that describe influencing others. When you use make (meaning to force or cause) or let (meaning to allow), the verb that follows them is always the base form (without to). For instance,
My boss made me work overtime
(forced me) or
My parents let me go to the party
(allowed me).
Understanding these patterns will significantly improve your accuracy in connecting actions and intentions.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ It's difficult for understand this.
✓ It's difficult to understand this.
*Explanation: After an adjective expressing difficulty, we use the to-infinitive.*
  1. 1✗ I'm interested in to learn new languages.
✓ I'm interested in learning new languages.
*Explanation: A verb following a preposition (like 'in') must always be in the -ing form (gerund).*
  1. 1✗ We are looking forward to meet you.
✓ We are looking forward to meeting you.
*Explanation: The 'to' in 'look forward to' is a preposition, so it must be followed by a gerund.*

Real Conversations

A

A

"I'm so happy to be here in London!"
B

B

"Me too! It's an exciting city to explore. Are you looking forward to visiting the museums tomorrow?"
A

A

"Absolutely! I'm really good at finding the best exhibits."
A

A

My sister made me clean her room today.
B

B

"Oh, that's rough! My parents usually let me choose my own chores. Are you still planning on going shopping later?"
A

A

"Yes, I need some new shoes. I'm thinking about going to Oxford Street."

Quick FAQ

Q

When should I use -ing after 'to'?

You use -ing after 'to' when 'to' is part of a phrasal verb or a fixed expression where 'to' acts as a preposition, such as 'look forward to', 'be used to', or 'object to'. Otherwise, 'to' is usually followed by the base form of the verb (infinitive).

Q

Can I say go to swim instead of go swimming?

While go to swim isn't grammatically incorrect, it sounds less natural for a leisure activity.

Go swimming
is the standard and much more common way to talk about the activity. Go to swim might imply going *to a place* for the purpose of swimming, rather than the activity itself.

Q

What's the difference between make and let in terms of grammar?

Both make and let are followed by the base form of the verb (without 'to'). The difference is in meaning: make means to force or cause someone to do something (e.g.,

She made me laugh
), while let means to permit or allow someone to do something (e.g.,
He let me borrow his car
).

Cultural Context

Native English speakers use these patterns constantly in everyday conversation. The choice between -ing and to-infinitive often comes down to ingrained habits rather than conscious rule application. For instance, looking forward to is extremely common when discussing future plans, conveying enthusiasm.
While formal writing adheres strictly to these rules, casual speech might occasionally have slight deviations, but understanding the standard forms will always make you sound more natural and avoid miscommunication.

Exemples clés (8)

1

It's `easy to make` friends in this city.

C'est facile de se faire des amis dans cette ville.

Adjectif + Infinitif (C'est facile à apprendre)
2

The new app was `simple to use` even for beginners.

La nouvelle application était simple à utiliser même pour les débutants.

Adjectif + Infinitif (C'est facile à apprendre)
3

Thank you `for helping` me with my homework.

Merci de m'avoir aidé avec mes devoirs.

Gérondifs après les prépositions (Pourquoi nous utilisons -ing après 'For', 'In', 'About')
4

She is really good `at solving` puzzles.

Elle est très douée pour résoudre des puzzles.

Gérondifs après les prépositions (Pourquoi nous utilisons -ing après 'For', 'In', 'About')
5

My friends and I `go camping` every summer.

Mes amis et moi allons camper tous les étés.

Activités avec 'Go' : Nager, Faire du shopping, etc. (Go + Gérondif)
6

She `is going shopping` for a new dress this afternoon.

Elle va faire les magasins pour une nouvelle robe cet après-midi.

Activités avec 'Go' : Nager, Faire du shopping, etc. (Go + Gérondif)
7

I'm really `looking forward to starting` my new course next week.

J'ai vraiment hâte de commencer mon nouveau cours la semaine prochaine.

Avoir hâte de + Gérondif (Excité par l'avenir)
8

Are you `looking forward to visiting` your grandparents this summer?

As-tu hâte de rendre visite à tes grands-parents cet été ?

Avoir hâte de + Gérondif (Excité par l'avenir)

Conseils et astuces (4)

💡

Les types d'adjectifs à privilégier !

Concentre-toi sur les adjectifs qui expriment une opinion, une émotion ou une caractéristique (par exemple, good, bad, easy, hard, happy, sad, important, possible). Ce sont tes mots clés pour cette structure. "It's good to know."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Adjectif + Infinitif (C'est facile à apprendre)
💡

Les prépositions sont exigeantes !

Elles ne laissent entrer que certaines formes de verbes. Pour les verbes, c'est toujours la forme en -ing (le gérondif). Garde ça en tête pour éviter les erreurs !
They insist on paying.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Gérondifs après les prépositions (Pourquoi nous utilisons -ing après 'For', 'In', 'About')
💡

Pense 'Activité d'abord'

Quand tu hésites à utiliser 'go + verbe en -ing', demande-toi si le mot en '-ing' décrit l'activité *principale* que tu vas faire. Si c'est un sport, un hobby ou une course spécifique, tu es sur la bonne voie.
Are you going fishing?
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Activités avec 'Go' : Nager, Faire du shopping, etc. (Go + Gérondif)
💡

Pense 'Préposition + Nom'

Rappelle-toi que le 'to' dans 'look forward to' fonctionne comme une préposition. Tout comme tu dis 'to the store' (un nom), tu dis 'to working' (un gérondif qui agit comme un nom). C'est une astuce mentale qui t'aidera à bien fixer la règle. "I'm looking forward to the weekend.« / »I'm looking forward to working on it."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Avoir hâte de + Gérondif (Excité par l'avenir)

Vocabulaire clé (5)

Excited very happy/enthusiastic Permission allowing someone to do something Recreational related to hobbies/fun Fluent speaking easily Interested in wanting to learn more

Real-World Preview

coffee

Planning the Weekend

Review Summary

  • It + be + Adj + to + verb
  • Prep + verb-ing
  • Go + verb-ing
  • Look forward to + verb-ing
  • Make/Let + object + base verb

Erreurs courantes

'Look forward to' uses 'to' as a preposition, so you must follow it with a gerund.

Wrong: I look forward to see you.
Correct: I look forward to seeing you.

Adjectives need the 'to' particle to connect to the infinitive verb.

Wrong: It is easy learn English.
Correct: It is easy to learn English.

After 'make' or 'let', we use the base form of the verb without 'to'.

Wrong: She made me to go.
Correct: She made me go.

Next Steps

You've done an incredible job today. Keep practicing, and you'll be speaking like a native in no time!

Write a diary entry for tomorrow using all 5 rules.

Continue to: L’art des nuances : Maîtrisez les subtilités des verbes anglais

Pratique rapide (10)

Choisis la phrase correcte :

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: It's necessary to remember details.
Le modèle correct est 'It's + adjectif + to-infinitif'. 'To remember' est la forme infinitive correcte.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Adjectif + Infinitif (C'est facile à apprendre)

Quelle phrase utilise correctement 'make' ou 'let' ?

Choisis la phrase correcte :

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: My friend let me borrow his book.
La structure correcte est 'let + objet + verbe de base'. 'To' ne doit pas être utilisé.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Make vs Let: Forcer vs Permettre (Verbe de Base)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans la phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

They went to shopping at the new mall yesterday.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: They went shopping at the new mall yesterday.
Nous n'utilisons pas 'to' entre 'go' (ou 'went') et la forme en -ing de l'activité. Il faut dire 'went shopping'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Activités avec 'Go' : Nager, Faire du shopping, etc. (Go + Gérondif)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans la phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

The team is looking forward to present their ideas at the meeting.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The team is looking forward to presenting their ideas at the meeting.
La forme correcte après 'look forward to' est un gérondif ('presenting'), pas un infinitif ('to present').

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Avoir hâte de + Gérondif (Excité par l'avenir)

Choisis la bonne forme pour compléter la phrase.

My family often _____ fishing on weekends.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: goes
Puisque 'My family' est singulier, nous utilisons la forme de la troisième personne du singulier 'goes'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Activités avec 'Go' : Nager, Faire du shopping, etc. (Go + Gérondif)

Choisis la forme correcte pour compléter la phrase.

My parents always let me ___ my own decisions.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: make
Après 'let + objet', le verbe doit être à sa forme de base sans 'to'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Make vs Let: Forcer vs Permettre (Verbe de Base)

Choisis la forme correcte pour compléter la phrase.

My sister is really looking forward to ___ her new puppy home.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: bringing
L'expression 'look forward to' doit être suivie d'un gérondif (verbe se terminant par -ing) ou d'un nom, car 'to' est ici une préposition.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Avoir hâte de + Gérondif (Excité par l'avenir)

Choisis la bonne forme pour compléter la phrase.

It's so important ___ your friends.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: to support
Après 'important' (adjectif), nous utilisons le 'to-infinitif' pour décrire l'action. 'To support' est la forme correcte.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Adjectif + Infinitif (C'est facile à apprendre)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans la phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

The unexpected news made her to feel very excited.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The unexpected news made her feel very excited.
Avec 'make + objet', le verbe suivant doit être à sa forme de base sans 'to'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Make vs Let: Forcer vs Permettre (Verbe de Base)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans la phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

The book was difficult understanding.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The book was difficult to understand.
L'adjectif 'difficult' exige un 'to-infinitif' ('to understand') après lui, pas un gérondif ('understanding').

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Adjectif + Infinitif (C'est facile à apprendre)

Score: /10

Questions fréquentes (6)

C'est une façon de relier un adjectif qui décrit une qualité ou un sentiment directement à une action, nous disant comment cette action est perçue. Pense à It's easy to learn ou It's important to study.
Absolument ! Des phrases comme It's hard to understand et It's good to see you sont extrêmement courantes et sonnent très naturelles dans les conversations en anglais.
Un gérondif, c'est la forme en -ing d'un verbe qui fonctionne comme un nom. Par exemple, dans 'Swimming is fun', 'swimming' est un gérondif qui est le sujet de la phrase.
Les prépositions sont toujours suivies d'un nom ou d'un pronom. Comme un gérondif est un verbe qui agit comme un nom, il remplit cette exigence grammaticale quand tu veux utiliser une action après une préposition.
La règle de base est d'utiliser 'go' (à n'importe quel temps) immédiatement suivi de la forme en -ing d'un verbe pour décrire une activité, surtout récréative. Par exemple, I go swimming ou They went shopping.
La forme en -ing agit comme un gérondif, fonctionnant comme un nom. Ainsi, quand tu dis go fishing, tu dis en fait 'aller faire l'activité de la pêche', faisant de l'activité l'objet direct de ton mouvement.
Chapitre précédent
S'exprimer avec fluidité : Maîtrise les 'ing' et les infinitifs
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L’art des nuances : Maîtrisez les subtilités des verbes anglais
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