Unit 60. Preposition (in / for / about etc.) + -ing
Unit 59; Part A

Are you interested I'm not very good Sue must be fed up What are the advantages Thanks very much How Why don't you go out Carol went to work | preposition in at with of for about instead of in spite of | verb (-ing) working learning studying. having inviting meeting sitting feeling | for us? languages. a car? me to your party. for lunch tomorrow? at home all the time? ill. |
You can also say 'instead of somebody doing something', 'fed up with people doing something' etc. :
• I'm fed up with people telling me what to do.
Unit 59; Part B

before -ing and after -ing:
• Before going out, I phoned Sarah. (not Before to go out)
• What did you do after leaving school?
You can also say 'Before I went out ...' and '... after you left school'.
by -ing (to say how something happens):
• The burglars got into the house by breaking a window and climbing in.
• You can improve your English by reading more.
• She made herself ill by not eating properly.
• Many accidents are caused by people driving too fast.
without -ing:
• We ran ten kilometres without stopping.
• It was a stupid thing to say. I said it without thinking.
• She needs to work without people disturbing her. (or ... without being disturbed.)
• I have enough problems of my own without having to worry about yours.
Unit 59; Part C

To is often part of the infinitive (to do / to see etc.):
• We decided to go out.
• Would you like to meet for lunch tomorrow?
But to is also a preposition (like in/for/about/from etc.). For example:
• We drove from London to Edinburgh.
• I prefer tea to coffee.
• Are you looking forward to the weekend?
If a preposition is followed by a verb, the verb ends in -ing:
in doing about meeting without stopping (etc.)
So, when to is a preposition and it is followed by a verb, you must say to -ing:
• I prefer driving to travelling by train. (not to travel)
• Are you looking forward to going on holiday? (not looking forward to go)
Exercises
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