B1 · Intermediate Chapter 5

Connecting Ideas with -ing and To

5 Total Rules
60 examples
5 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

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.

What You'll Learn

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.

Chapter Guide

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.

Key Examples (8)

1

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

Adjective + To-Infinitive (It's easy to learn)
2

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

Adjective + To-Infinitive (It's easy to learn)
3

Thank you `for helping` me with my homework.

Gerunds After Prepositions (Why We Use -ing After 'For', 'In', 'About')
4

She is really good `at solving` puzzles.

Gerunds After Prepositions (Why We Use -ing After 'For', 'In', 'About')
5

My friends and I `go camping` every summer.

Activities with 'Go': Swimming, Shopping, etc. (Go + Gerund)
6

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

Activities with 'Go': Swimming, Shopping, etc. (Go + Gerund)
7

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

Look Forward To + Gerund (Excited About the Future)
8

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

Look Forward To + Gerund (Excited About the Future)

Tips & Tricks (4)

💡

The 'It's' Shortcut

In 90% of spoken English, we use 'It's' instead of 'It is'. Practice saying 'It's easy to...' as one single sound.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Adjective + To-Infinitive (It's easy to learn)
💡

The 'Noun Test'

If you can replace the verb with a noun like 'it' or 'the party', you are dealing with a preposition. Use -ing!
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Gerunds After Prepositions (Why We Use -ing After 'For', 'In', 'About')
💡

The 'No-To' Rule

Always remember: Go + -ing. Never 'Go to -ing'. This is the most important rule for this pattern.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Activities with 'Go': Swimming, Shopping, etc. (Go + Gerund)
💡

The Noun Test

If you aren't sure if you should use -ing, try replacing the verb with 'it'. If 'I look forward to it' sounds correct, then you must use the -ing form of the verb.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Look Forward To + Gerund (Excited About the Future)

Key Vocabulary (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

Common Mistakes

'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: Advanced Verb Patterns and Meaning Changes

Quick Practice (10)

Identify the error in the following sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

She is looking forward to go to the beach this weekend.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: to go
It should be 'to going' because 'look forward to' requires a gerund.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Look Forward To + Gerund (Excited About the Future)

Find the mistake in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

I look forward to see you at the party.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: see
It should be 'seeing' because 'to' is a preposition in this phrase.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Gerunds After Prepositions (Why We Use -ing After 'For', 'In', 'About')

Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

My parents never let me ___ (watch) horror movies.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
'Let' is followed by the base verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Make vs Let: Forcing vs Allowing (Base Verb)

Fill in the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

I look forward to ___ (meet) you in person.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: meeting
After 'look forward to', we always use the gerund (-ing) form.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Look Forward To + Gerund (Excited About the Future)

Choose the correct sentence.

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He left without saying goodbye.
'Without' is a preposition and requires the -ing form.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Gerunds After Prepositions (Why We Use -ing After 'For', 'In', 'About')

Complete the sentence.

I've never ___ skiing before.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: gone
The past participle of 'go' is 'gone'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Activities with 'Go': Swimming, Shopping, etc. (Go + Gerund)

Find the error in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

The boss made us to finish the report before we left.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: c
The 'to' should be removed: 'made us finish'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Make vs Let: Forcing vs Allowing (Base Verb)

Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb.

Last weekend, we ___ (go) camping in the forest.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: went
The past tense of 'go' is 'went'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Activities with 'Go': Swimming, Shopping, etc. (Go + Gerund)

Choose the correct sentence.

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
'Make' is followed by the object and the base verb without 'to'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Make vs Let: Forcing vs Allowing (Base Verb)

Choose the most natural sentence for a business email.

Which sentence is best for closing a professional letter?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I look forward to hearing from you.
The present simple 'I look forward to' + gerund is the standard formal closing.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Look Forward To + Gerund (Excited About the Future)

Score: /10

Common Questions (6)

Yes, both are correct. However, It is easy to learn is much more common in spoken English because it emphasizes the adjective first.
We use of when the adjective describes the person's character (kind, mean, brave). We use for when the adjective describes the difficulty or effect of the action (hard, easy, important).
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.
It is grammatically possible if 'to swim' is an infinitive of purpose, but it sounds very unnatural. 'Go swimming' is the standard way to describe the activity.
We only use 'go + gerund' for activities that involve movement or leaving the house. Since reading is stationary, we just say 'I like reading'.
Previous Chapter
Introduction to Gerunds and Infinitives
Next Chapter
Advanced Verb Patterns and Meaning Changes
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