ESEN
Which one to use?Intermediateprepositionverb
Look forward to + -ingvsExpect / hope / want + to
In 'look forward to', the 'to' is a preposition, not part of the infinitive, so it is followed by a gerund (-ing).
Side-by-side comparison
Look forward to + -ing
preposition"Look forward to" expresses that you are eager and excited about something coming. The "to" here is a preposition, not part of an infinitive.
I look forward to seeing you at the party on Saturday.
She is looking forward to starting her new job next month.
We all look forward to the summer holidays when we can finally relax.
Expect / hope / want + to
verbThat is why what follows is always a noun or a gerund ("-ing"), never an infinitive: "I look forward to meeting you", not "to meet you".
I expect to hear back from them by Friday at the latest.
She hopes to travel to Japan next year if she saves enough money.
He wants to learn how to cook before he moves into his own flat.
Common mistake
"I look forward to hear from you" is wrong and very common in professional English. Correct: "I look forward to hearing from you." The "to" here is a preposition, not part of an infinitive, so it requires a gerund.
Trick to remember it
- •Noun test: can you substitute a noun? "Look forward to the meeting" works = TO is a preposition = you need a gerund: "look forward to meeting".
- •Same with: be used to, object to, be committed to, get used to.
Quick rule
- •"Look forward to" + gerund (-ing), not infinitive.
- •The "to" is a preposition.
- •Same for: be used to, object to, be committed to, get used to.
Did you know?
"I look forward to hearing from you" is the most widely used email closing clause in professional English worldwide. According to corpus analysis of business communications, it appears in approximately 68% of all formal professional emails. Ironically, because of its extreme frequency, many business communication experts now consider it too generic and recommend more specific alternatives: "I look forward to discussing this on Thursday" or "I look forward to receiving your feedback by Friday." The formula risks sounding like a boilerplate template. However, for professional English learners, mastering this construction (+ gerund) remains one of the highest priorities, and one of the errors that stands out most when it is made.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
I'm looking forward to _____ you at the party on Friday.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
She is really looking forward to _____ her new job next month.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
GerundvsInfinitive
Some verbs take a gerund (-ing), others take an infinitive (to + verb), and some take both with different meanings.
InfinitivovsGerundio
With certain verbs (remember, stop, try), the choice between infinitive and gerund completely changes the meaning.
Used to dovsBe used to doing
'Used to do' describes past habits or states that no longer exist; 'be used to doing' describes being accustomed to something.
AvsAn
'A' is used before consonant sounds; 'an' is used before vowel sounds.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy