Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In English, whenever a verb follows a preposition, it must almost always take the gerund (-ing) form.
- Use -ing after simple prepositions like 'in', 'on', 'at', 'for', 'from'. Example: 'I'm good at cooking.'
- Use -ing after phrasal verbs ending in prepositions. Example: 'He gave up smoking.'
- Use -ing after 'to' when 'to' is a preposition, not an infinitive marker. Example: 'I look forward to meeting you.'
Overview
と言ったとき、英語の先生が顔をしかめるのに気づいたことある？ただの細かい指摘じゃないんだ。これは英語の中でも最も堅固なルールの一つだよ。thanks for to come« じゃなくて »thanks for coming" と言うのか、ついに理解できるはず。結局は前置詞次第なんだ、ベイビー。心配しないで、暗い部屋で靴下のペアを見つけるより簡単だから。in,on,at,for,aboutのような前置詞は、手のかかるセレブみたいなもの。特定の言葉に対して厳格な「立ち入り禁止」リストを持ってるんだ。不定詞（toがつくやつ）の隣に立つのを絶対拒否するんだよ。代わりに名詞を要求する。でも、動作を表現したいときはどうする？そこで動名詞（gerund）の出番だ。動名詞は、名詞のコスチュームを着た動詞にすぎない。-ingをつけることで、動作をモノに変えるんだ。これで前置詞もハッピー、先生もハッピー、君もプロっぽく聞こえる。このルールは至る所にあるよ。インスタのキャプションから Zoom での面接までね。ロボットみたいに聞こえるか、実際にatがどこに入るか分かってる人間として聞こえるかの違いだ。これをマスターすれば、「学習者」バレする気まずい間違いをしなくなるよ。それに、なぜ
How This Grammar Works
-ing をつけることでできるよ。例えば、前置詞 about を見てみよう。"I'm thinking about coffee と言えば、coffee は名詞だ。完璧。でも I'm thinking about order coffee« と言いたいなら、それは壊れている感じがする。動名詞が必要だね。»I'm thinking about ordering coffeeとなる。これで「注文する」という動作が前置詞の「目的語」になったわけだ。これは英語という言語における法的な抜け穴みたいなもの。これは君が思いつくほぼ全ての前置詞に当てはまるよ：good at cook" と言ってしまって、相手は君が実は秘密のシェフなのか、それとも YouTube でゴードン・ラムゼイの動画を見るのが好きなだけの人なのか不思議に思うかもしれないよ。of,with,without,before,after,by,for,about,at,in,on。toという単語でさえ、時々前置詞として機能するんだけど、これがこの文法ルールのラスボス級だね。普通、toは不定詞の一部（to eat）だけど、時々前置詞になる（look forward to）。前置詞として使われるときは、このルールに従う。つまり-ingを要求するんだ。これを忘れると、「料理が得意です（good at cooking）」と言うつもりが
Formation Pattern
for, in, at, without など）。
study, run, text など）。
-ing をくっつける。
Conjugation Table
| Preposition | Verb + -ing | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| --- | --- | --- |
in |
learning |
I am interested in learning English. |
for |
helping |
Thanks for helping me with the app. |
about |
talking |
We talked about talking to the boss. |
without |
saying |
He left without saying goodbye. |
after |
watching |
After watching Netflix, I went to bed. |
by |
practicing |
You improve by practicing every day. |
at |
gaming |
She is really good at gaming on her PC. |
Gender & Agreement
learning, running, または eating だ。ここでは un や une の心配はいらない。誰がその動作をしているかに関わらず、動名詞は全く同じままだ。英語文法の中で最もインクルーシブな部分だね。
When To Use It
I am bored with waiting.（待つのに飽きた）、She is excited about traveling.（旅行することにワクワクしている）。第二に、動詞の後。いくつかの動詞は前置詞が大好きなんだ。He apologized for being late.（彼は遅刻したことを謝った）、They insisted on paying the bill.（彼らは勘定を払うと言い張った）。第三に、名詞の後。The reason for calling you was to say hi.（電話した理由は挨拶するためだった）。第四に、文の冒頭で「どうやって何かが行われるか」を示すとき。By using this app, you can learn faster.Before going out, check the weather.Politeness Levels
- **Formal
**
I look forward to receiving your reply.（お返事をお待ちしております。——仕事のメール）
- **Informal
** "I'm excited about seeing you!"（会えるの楽しみ！——友達へのテキスト）
- **Casual
**
Thanks for hanging out.（遊んでくれてありがと。——カフェデートの後）
レベル間で文法は変わらないけど、動詞や前置詞の選択が変わるかもしれないことに注意してね。Zoom での就職面接では
I have experience in managing teams（チームのマネジメント経験があります）と言うだろうけど、TikTok では Obsessed with watching this!（これ見るのにハマってる！）とコメントするかもしれない。どちらも文法的には全く同じだ。
Common Mistakes
Thank you for helping me の代わりに Thank you for to help meと言ってしまう人がいる。これは、多くの言語で前置詞の後に不定詞を使うから起きるんだ。英語はゲルマン語族の中で尖ったティーンエイジャーになることを決めて、違うやり方をすることにしたんだね。もう一つの間違いは、前置詞を完全に忘れてしまうこと。"She's good dancing« は歯が一本抜けているみたいに聞こえる。»She's good
at dancing« としなきゃいけない。最後に、»to« の罠に気をつけて。»I'm used to get up early« は間違い。これは »I'm used to getting up early"（早起きに慣れている）でなければならない。この場合、to は前置詞であって、不定詞の一部じゃないんだ。これはこっそりした単語で、絶対にエサをもらったのにまだもらってないフリをする猫みたいなやつだ。
Memory Trick
Preposition-Ing (PING) Rule（前置詞＋INGのピング・ルール）を思い出して。Preposition（前置詞）があって、その後に動作を続けたいときは毎回、ING で終わる動詞が必要だ。P + ING = PING! 正しくできたとき、脳内でこの音が鳴るはずだ。
Contrast With Similar Patterns
不定詞マーカーとしての to と、前置詞としての to を混同しないでね。
I want to go.（ここには前置詞はない、ただの動詞パターン）。I am committed to improving.（ここでは、to は形容詞 committed に結びついた前置詞だ）。どうやって違いを見分ける？動詞を chocolate（チョコレート）のような名詞に置き換えてみて。
I am committed to chocolateと言えるなら、その
to は前置詞だから動名詞が必要だ。もし I want chocolate は成立するけど構造が違う（I want to chocolateとは言えない）なら、それは不定詞だ。
Real Conversations
- Scenario: Ordering Food
- Sam: Are you interested in ordering sushi tonight?
- Alex: I'm actually thinking about making pasta instead.
- Sam: Without asking me first? How rude!
- Alex: Well, thanks for being so dramatic about it.
- Scenario: Work Zoom Call
- Manager: I apologize for starting the meeting late.
- Employee: No problem. I spent the time checking my emails.
- Manager: We need to focus on hitting our targets this month.
Quick FAQ
to の後に -ing を使ってもいいの？
イエス、もし to が前置詞ならね。例：
I look forward to meeting you.
sorry for being lateと
sorry to be lateはどっち？
どっちもOKだけど、
sorry for being late は「前置詞 + 動名詞」のパターン。Sorry to be lateは不定詞のパターン。安全策をとるなら動名詞の方を使おう！
これは by でも使える？
もちろん！by はこのために最もよく使われる前置詞の一つだよ。
You save money by cooking at home.
Progressive Practice
Easy: I'm tired of (wait) waiting for the bus.
Medium: She left the party without (say) saying anything to the host.
Hard: Despite (have) having a broken leg, he insisted on (walk) walking to the store.
Expert: Are you used to (live) living in such a noisy city after (move) moving from the countryside?
Structure of Prepositional Gerunds
| Preposition | Negative (Optional) | Gerund (-ing) | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
about
|
|
leaving
|
I'm thinking about leaving.
|
|
for
|
not
|
coming
|
Sorry for not coming.
|
|
at
|
|
singing
|
She's great at singing.
|
|
without
|
|
asking
|
Don't go without asking.
|
|
of
|
not
|
knowing
|
The fear of not knowing.
|
|
to
|
|
working
|
I'm used to working.
|
Meanings
The use of the gerund form of a verb (the -ing form) as the object of a preposition to describe an action related to that preposition.
General Prepositional Use
Following standard prepositions like 'of', 'about', 'for', 'with', 'without', 'by'.
“I'm thinking about moving to London.”
“You can't learn English without practicing.”
Adjective + Preposition Combinations
Used when an adjective requires a specific preposition which then takes a gerund.
“She is afraid of flying.”
“We are interested in buying the house.”
The 'To' Preposition Trap
Using -ing after 'to' when 'to' functions as a preposition rather than part of an infinitive.
“I am used to waking up early.”
“I object to paying extra for water.”
Reference Table
| 前置詞 | 例文フレーズ | 意味 | よくある使い方 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
for
|
for studying
|
目的・理由
|
感謝を伝える時
|
|
in
|
in learning
|
方法・関与
|
達成した事を述べる時
|
|
about
|
about reading
|
話題・関心
|
感情を表現する時
|
|
by
|
by practicing
|
手段・方法
|
改善方法を述べる時
|
|
before
|
before leaving
|
時間の前後
|
行動の順序を述べる時
|
|
after
|
after finishing
|
時間の前後
|
行動の順序を述べる時
|
|
without
|
without asking
|
不在・欠如
|
何かがない状態を述べる時
|
|
from
|
from falling
|
防止
|
何かを防ぐ時
|
フォーマル度スペクトル
I look forward to meeting with you to discuss the proposal. (Professional to Social)
I'm looking forward to seeing you next week. (Professional to Social)
Can't wait for hanging out later! (Professional to Social)
Stoked for catching up tonight. (Professional to Social)
「前置詞 + 動名詞」のイメージマップ
よく使う前置詞
- for 目的、理由
- in 方法、関与
- about 話題、関心
- by 手段、方法
- before 時間
- after 時間
- without 不在
- from 防止
キーとなる例文
- Thanks for helping. 感謝
- Good at swimming. スキル
- Excited about starting. 感情
- Improve by practicing. 方法
- Before leaving. 順序
前置詞としての「To」
- Look forward to seeing. 期待
- Accustomed to working. 習慣
- Addicted to gaming. 依存
「To」の後の動名詞 vs. to不定詞
その単語の後に-ing形を使う？
その単語は前置詞ですか？（例：in, on, for, about, by, without, before, after）
前置詞と相性の良い動名詞たち
目的・理由
- • for studying
- • for helping
方法・手段
- • by practicing
- • in learning
時間の順序
- • before leaving
- • after finishing
感情・思考
- • about starting
- • interested in joining
防止・欠如
- • from falling
- • without asking
定型表現
- • look forward to seeing
- • accustomed to working
レベル別の例文
Thank you for coming.
Gracias por venir.
I am good at cooking.
Soy bueno cocinando.
She is interested in music.
Ella está interesada en la música.
He left without eating.
Él se fue sin comer.
What about going to the cinema?
¿Qué tal si vamos al cine?
I'm tired of working late.
Estoy cansado de trabajar hasta tarde.
They are afraid of losing the game.
Tienen miedo de perder el partido.
She is famous for singing pop songs.
Ella es famosa por cantar canciones pop.
I look forward to meeting you next week.
Espero con ansias conocerte la próxima semana.
He succeeded in passing the exam.
Él tuvo éxito en aprobar el examen.
We are thinking of buying a new car.
Estamos pensando en comprar un coche nuevo.
Instead of complaining, you should help.
En lugar de quejarte, deberías ayudar.
I'm not used to driving on the left.
No estoy acostumbrado a conducir por la izquierda.
She apologized for not calling earlier.
Ella se disculpó por no llamar antes.
He was accused of stealing the money.
Fue acusado de robar el dinero.
There's no point in waiting any longer.
No tiene sentido esperar más.
With a view to expanding the business, they hired more staff.
Con miras a expandir el negocio, contrataron más personal.
I have no objection to your staying here.
No tengo objeción a que te quedes aquí.
He is dedicated to preserving the environment.
Él está dedicado a preservar el medio ambiente.
In addition to being a doctor, she is a pilot.
Además de ser doctora, es piloto.
The rationale for implementing such measures remains unclear.
La lógica para implementar tales medidas sigue sin estar clara.
He took exception to being called a liar.
Se ofendió por ser llamado mentiroso.
Notwithstanding his having failed, he tried again.
A pesar de haber fallado, lo intentó de nuevo.
They are on the verge of discovering a cure.
Están a punto de descubrir una cura.
間違えやすい
Learners use 'for' + infinitive to explain why they do something.
'I used to smoke' (past habit) vs 'I am used to smoking' (familiarity).
Thinking 'to' always precedes a base verb.
よくある間違い
Thanks for help me.
Thanks for helping me.
I'm good at cook.
I'm good at cooking.
Before go, say bye.
Before going, say bye.
I'm interested in learn.
I'm interested in learning.
He left without to say anything.
He left without saying anything.
How about to go out?
How about going out?
I'm afraid of fly.
I'm afraid of flying.
I look forward to see you.
I look forward to seeing you.
I'm used to wake up early.
I'm used to waking up early.
He apologized for be late.
He apologized for being late.
In addition to be rich, he is kind.
In addition to being rich, he is kind.
文型パターン
I am thinking about ___.
Thank you for ___.
She is famous for ___.
Despite ___ , he stayed happy.
Real World Usage
I am responsible for overseeing the budget.
How about grabbing a coffee?
Check the weather before heading out.
Obsessed with watching these tutorials!
This study focuses on identifying the causes...
After boiling the water, add the pasta.
前置詞はちょっとこだわり屋さん！
"to"には要注意！
toはよく「to不定詞」（to eat, to sleep）の形で動詞の原形を導きますが、実は前置詞の役割をすることもあるんです（例: look forward to, be used to）。その場合、「-ing形」（動名詞）が必須ですよ！これに騙されないでくださいね。例えば、「I look forward to meeting you.」聞いて、真似してみよう！
感謝の気持ちを伝える時
形容詞と前置詞の組み合わせ
good at、interested in、worried aboutのように、特定の形容詞は特定の前置詞と自然にペアになります。これらの形容詞と前置詞の組み合わせを覚える時は、その後に続く動詞は必ず動名詞になることを忘れないでくださいね！例えば、「She is good at solving puzzles.」Smart Tips
Try putting the word 'it' after 'to'. If the sentence still makes sense, 'to' is a preposition. Use -ing!
Always use 'for' + -ing. It's the most polite and natural way to express gratitude for an action.
If you don't want to say 'I' or 'You', just use the -ing form directly after 'before' or 'after'.
Remember that the 'particle' in a phrasal verb is often a preposition. Treat it like one!
発音
The 'ng' sound
In the gerund ending '-ing', the 'g' is usually silent. The sound is a nasal /ŋ/.
Linking
Prepositions ending in a consonant often link to the gerund if it starts with a vowel sound.
Stress on the Gerund
I'm good at SWIMMING.
The focus is on the activity.
暗記しよう
記憶術
Prepositions are 'Noun-Hungry'. If you feed them a verb, you must dress it as a noun with an -ing hat.
視覚的連想
Imagine a bridge (the preposition) that only allows cars (nouns) to cross. A person (verb) wants to cross, so they have to get inside a car-shaped costume labeled '-ing'.
Rhyme
After 'at', 'for', 'in', and 'of', the -ing form is what we love!
Story
A chef was 'good at' cooking, but 'tired of' cleaning. He 'thought about' quitting, but 'dreamed of' winning a Michelin star. He 'succeeded in' finishing his shift 'without' complaining.
Word Web
チャレンジ
Write 5 sentences about your day using 'before', 'after', 'by', 'for', and 'about' followed by an -ing verb.
文化メモ
In the UK, 'keen on' + gerund is very common for expressing interest.
Americans frequently use 'excited about' or 'into' + gerund.
Using 'look forward to + -ing' is the gold standard for closing professional emails globally.
The English gerund originates from Old English verbal nouns ending in '-ung' or '-ing'.
会話のきっかけ
What are you most interested in learning this year?
Are you used to waking up early on weekends?
What is something you have given up doing recently?
What are you looking forward to doing on your next vacation?
日記のテーマ
よくある間違い
Test Yourself
She apologized `for ___` late to the meeting.
Find and fix the mistake:
He is very good at to cook Italian food.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Ella sueña con viajar por el mundo.'
Answer starts with: ["S...
Score: /4
練習問題
8 exercisesI'm interested in ___ (learn) more about your culture.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
I look forward to see you at the party.
apologized / for / late / being / she
1. Good at... 2. Afraid of... 3. Tired of...
You can use an infinitive (to + verb) after the preposition 'for' to explain purpose.
A: Are you coming to the park? B: No, I'm tired of ___.
Identify the odd one out.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
13 exercisesI'm tired `of ___` the same old movies.
They apologized for be late.
Which sentence is correct?
Translate into English: 'Él es bueno para reparar coches.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Many people are addicted `to ___` on their phones.
I look forward to meet you next week.
Select the correct sentence:
Match the phrases:
She prides herself `on ___` her goals.
Translate into English: 'Él se disculpó por no haber llamado.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Choose the correct sentence:
Score: /13
よくある質問 (8)
In English, prepositions like `for` cannot be followed by an infinitive. You must use the gerund `helping` to make the verb act like a noun.
No. Sometimes it is an infinitive marker (e.g., `I want to go`). If you can put a noun after it (e.g., `I'm used to coffee`), it's a preposition and needs `-ing`.
Yes! Put `not` before the gerund. Example: `He is famous for not giving up.`
If a phrasal verb ends in a preposition (like `give up` or `keep on`), the next verb must be an `-ing` form.
Both are correct, but they use different rules. `Sorry for being late` uses the prepositional gerund rule. `Sorry to be late` uses the adjective + infinitive rule.
Yes, almost all prepositions in English follow this rule when followed by a verb.
It is used in all registers, from casual texting to academic papers. It is a core rule of the language.
This depends on the adjective or verb before it. For example, we say `interested in` but `good at`. You must learn these combinations together.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Preposición + Infinitivo
Spanish uses the infinitive where English uses the gerund.
Préposition + Infinitif
French prepositions (except 'en') take the infinitive.
Präposition + Nomen / zu + Infinitiv
German uses nominalization or infinitive clauses.
Verb (Dictionary form) + no/koto + Preposition
Japanese requires a nominalizer particle.
Preposition + Masdar
The Masdar is a distinct noun form, not just a verb with a suffix.
Preposition + Verb
No suffix like -ing is needed in Chinese.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
関連動画
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