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To + -ing forms

 

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  #1
Old May 19, 2009, 12:49 PM
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To + -ing forms

Could someone explain to me when I have to use "to + -ing" form instead of "to + inf".?

I've also seen these two sentences and now I'm not sure which of them is the correct one:

I'm glad to hear from you
I'm glad to hearing from you



Thanks
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  #2
Old May 19, 2009, 01:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
Could someone explain to me when I have to use "to + -ing" form instead of "to + inf".?

I've also seen these two sentences and now I'm not sure which of them is the correct one:

I'm glad to hear from you
I'm glad to be hearing from you



Thanks
Lo siento, no soy un experto, pero trataré explicarlo bien

I'm (was) glad to hear from you (yesterday/sometime in the past) - (en el preterit o presente)
I'm glad to be hearing from you (at this moment in the present)- (siempre en el presente)
I was glad to be hearing from you incorrecto

Tengo miedo que lo expliqué jeje. No sé las reglas, pero qué escribé ser correcto a mi oreja.

Mi español es raro jeje¿quieres que yo pueda explicar en inglés?
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Last edited by bobjenkins; May 19, 2009 at 01:34 PM.
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  #3
Old May 19, 2009, 01:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
Could someone explain to me when I have to use "to + -ing" form instead of "to + inf".?

I've also seen these two sentences and now I'm not sure which of them is the correct one:

I'm glad to hear from you
I'm glad to hearing from you



Thanks
El to no se ocupa con el ing. o sea, no toing para ti.

mira:

I'm glad to hear from you.

ing = ando o endo/ o es un infinitivo

considera:

I am eating pizza = estoy comiendo pizza.

Eating pizza everyday is bad for your health. = comer pizza todos los dias es malo para tu salud.

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  #4
Old May 19, 2009, 01:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bobjenkins View Post
Lo siento, no soy un experto, pero trataré explicarlo

I'm (was) glad to hear from you just (now/yesterday) - (en el preterit o presente)
I'm glad to be hearing from you (at this moment)- (siempre en el presente)
I was glad to be hearing from you incorrecto

Tengo miedo que lo expliqué jeje. No sé las reglas, pero que escribé ser correcto a mi oreja.
I understand you in this sentence, but there are another ones where "be" is not used but this form is used, too. For instance, I've seen:

"A guide to going abroad"

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  #5
Old May 19, 2009, 01:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
I understand you in this sentence, but there are another ones where "be" is not used and is use this form. For instance, I've seen:

"A guide to going abroad"


una guia para salir afuera (al extranjero/del pais)
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  #6
Old May 19, 2009, 01:34 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chileno View Post
El to no se ocupa con el ing. o sea, no toing para ti.

mira:

I'm glad to hear from you.

ing = ando o endo/ o es un infinitivo

considera:

I am eating pizza = estoy comiendo pizza.

Eating pizza everyday is bad for your health. = comer pizza todos los dias es malo para tu salud.

Yes, I know that "to" doesn't go with "-ing". But sometimes I've read it and I'd like to know if it is correct or not (when I've read, I thought the sentences were right)
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  #7
Old May 19, 2009, 01:35 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chileno View Post
una guia para salir afuera (al extranjero/del pais)
Yes, I understand its meaning, but it uses "to + -ing" form: to going.
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  #8
Old May 19, 2009, 01:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
Yes, I know that "to" doesn't go with "-ing". But sometimes I've read it and I'd like to know if it is correct or not (when I've read, I thought the sentences were right)
I cannot think of an instance like that, but most likely you are correct...I would need to see it, though.
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  #9
Old May 19, 2009, 01:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chileno View Post
I cannot think of an instance like that, but most likely you are correct...I would need to see it, though.
I'll look for some sentence. Thanks.
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  #10
Old May 19, 2009, 01:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
I'll look for some sentence. Thanks.
ok and thank you!
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  #11
Old May 19, 2009, 01:39 PM
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Es raro Irmamar, inglés no es coherente (consistent) con sus reglas Sé que sea injusto.
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  #12
Old May 19, 2009, 01:50 PM
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Es gracioso, nosotros (hablantes nativos de inglés) seguimos estas reglas pero no entendemos ellos/los (them?) jeje


Preséntalos las frases y te diré si ellos son correcto gracias amiga
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  #13
Old May 19, 2009, 02:37 PM
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Going to the movies is fun./ To go to the movies is fun
Seeing friends makes me happy/ To see friends makes me happy
Driving over ice makes me nervious./ To drive over ice ...

En inglés podemos usar verbo+ing(en inglés se llama gerund) en lugar del infinitivo en estes casos. Tambien se puede usar el infinitivo(igual al español) pero es menos común.
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  #14
Old May 19, 2009, 04:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
Could someone explain to me when I have to use "to + -ing" form instead of "to + inf".?

I've also seen these two sentences and now I'm not sure which of them is the correct one:

I'm glad to hear from you
I'm glad to hearing from you



Thanks
Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
I understand you in this sentence, but there are another ones where "be" is not used but this form is used, too. For instance, I've seen:

"A guide to going abroad"

Use the infinitive when the thing is a verb. Use the gerund (-ing) when it is a noun.

I'm glad to hear from you - verb
A guide to going abroad - "going abroad" functions grammatically as a noun (gerund), not a verb.
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  #15
Old May 19, 2009, 04:59 PM
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I've seen two cases where -ing is written after "to":

I look forward to hearing from you.

I must get round to finishing my dissertation next month.
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  #16
Old May 19, 2009, 05:09 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar View Post
I've seen two cases where -ing is written after "to":

I look forward to hearing from you.

I must get around to finishing my dissertation next month.
Yes, in both cases, "hearing" and "finishing" function as nouns. "Hearing from you" and "finishing my dissertation next month" are both noun phrases. When they are used as nouns, they should be in the gerund (-ing) form, not the infinitive.
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  #17
Old May 19, 2009, 05:13 PM
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Thank you, David... It's pretty clear now.

Just one question, inspired from another thread... would it be correct to say:

You have no reason to seeing her. (?)
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  #18
Old May 19, 2009, 05:16 PM
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Thank you, David... It's pretty clear now.

Just one question, inspired from another thread... would it be correct to say:

You have no reason to seeing her. (?)
No, it would have to be one of these:

You have no reason for seeing her.
You have no reason to see her.
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  #19
Old May 19, 2009, 05:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Tomisimo View Post
No, it would have to be one of these:

You have no reason for seeing her.
You have no reason to see her.
Ok... now I see... confusion dissipated now.
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  #20
Old May 19, 2009, 06:09 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar View Post
I've seen two cases where -ing is written after "to":

I look forward to hearing from you.

I must get round to finishing my dissertation next month.
Ok! :-) Got it!

That form is not used too much though.
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