20 "To" Phrases That Can Use Verb+ing

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Now, in today's lesson, we are going to talk

about a grammar topic that many people have

questions about once they reach the upper intermediate or advanced level of English,

and that is, "Alex, when can I add 'ing' after 'to'?

I know it's possible."

In this video, I will teach you 20 phrases

that use "to" plus verb "ing", or where it's

possible to use "to" plus the verb "ing".

Now, before we begin, an important question to ask when you are wondering, "Can I use

verb 'ing' after 'to'?"

Well, you have to ask yourself, "Wait, is this a particle, or is it a preposition?"

Now, a particle is, as an example number one, "I want to leave."

As you know, if you are watching this video,

some verbs in English can be followed by a

gerund, which is verb "ing".

Some verbs can be followed by a "to" infinitive, which is "to" plus the verb.

So, in this case, "I want to leave", "to" is functioning as, grammatically, what is

known as a particle.

Now, a particle is just a junk word that we

throw in, but is necessary in order to continue

and complete a grammatical form.

So, "I want to leave", for example, in this case.

Now, for a preposition, one of the rules about

prepositions is they are always followed by

So, a preposition needs an object.

"I live in Canada", for example.

"I spent the day with Martha."

Or "lung cancer is linked to smoking."

So, here, remember gerunds are verbal nouns,

so they function as nouns, which means they

can function as objects.

So, here we have an example where you are using verb "ing" after "to".

"Lung cancer is linked to", so you have a

phrase, "to be linked to something", you have

to be linked to something.

A gerund is a something.

So, now, so far, so good, I hope.

You can always rewind the video, listen to me explain this again, or first make sure

you understand about the basics of gerunds and infinitives.

And now, let's continue with learning and

practicing the phrases that you can use with

"to" plus verb "ing".

I apologize for the pause.

My brain went in a different direction for a moment.

Now, one of the phrases that you can use is "adapt to".

So, for example, "I'm adapting to using AI."

Here, you can see I'm using a verb in the continuous form.

Adapting to what?

I am adapting to using AI.

I am making the adaptation in the...

I'm in progress.

I'm in process of doing this now.

This is actually true for me.

Maybe it's true for you.

You're adapting to using AI as it becomes a bigger part of our lives.

Next, we have "adjust to".

So, she is adjusting to...

What is she adjusting to?

She's adjusting to wearing high heels.

Now, of course, you can say she's adjusting to high heels, right?

To wearing them.

But, yes, another phrase with "adjust to".

This is a preposition in this case.

Next, we have "add to".

"Spending time alone only added to feeling depressed."

Here, we can actually use a possessive gerund, if you would like.

Added to his feeling depressed, or her

feeling depressed, or your feeling depressed.

Something like that.

So, "added to feeling depressed".

Next, we have "contribute to".

So, "contribute to", similar to "add to".

It plays a role in something.

So, credit cards, if you have a credit card,

credit cards contribute to overspending.

To spending too much money.

So, if you have a credit card, you are more likely to close your eyes and say, "Yep, I

will pay for this.

I will buy this."

Because you are not thinking about the money

that is necessary to purchase that product.

Next, you can "be close to something", close to doing something.

So, for example, okay, we are close to finishing.

We are close to being done in this case.

So far, so good?

Okay, so I hope you're seeing.

We have "adapt to", "adjust to", "add to", "contribute to".

Next, we have "dedicate to".

You can be dedicated to something as well.

So, for example, he is dedicated to improving the city's infrastructure.

So, this is someone with a government position,

probably the municipal government, the local

So, he is dedicated to improving the city's infrastructure.

So far, so good.

Next, we have "commit to".

I have committed myself to practicing daily.

So, you can commit yourself, a person can commit themselves to doing something.

So, have you committed yourself to practicing English on a regular basis?

It's a good question to ask.

Next, "lead to".

So, if something leads to something else, it means that step one happens, then step

two happens, and oh, there's a cause and effect.

So, for example, his policies led to increasing the cost of energy.

So, the energy costs went up for people, the

cost of electricity specifically, after, you

or after his policies became law.

So, his policies led to increasing the cost of energy.

Next, we have "admit to".

So, when you admit to something, this means you say that you did something.

You were the person responsible for something.

For example, she admitted to stealing the diamonds.

This is a very dramatic example, but she says,

okay, fine, I stole the diamonds, I took them,

So, she admitted to stealing the diamonds.

She admitted to theft, basically.

And what I said there, she admitted to theft, which means, like, stealing.

Of course, in all of these cases, you can

follow to with something that is not a gerund.

As long as it's a noun or a noun phrase, a

thing, it has to be some thing, for example.

And remember, verb-ing, gerunds is a thing.

All right, "be addicted to".

So, at the beginning of this video, I was taking selfies, and I can say...

I said, I think I am addicted to taking selfies.

Here, we have another example of "to be

addicted to" with something with your phone.

So, these days, many people are addicted to scrolling on their phones.

So, to scroll is to, like, go down or up, wherever you're going.

Usually up, this way.

Yeah, we go this way on our phones, usually, because you want to go down.

Too much information.

You know what I mean.

So, many people are addicted to scrolling on their phones.

Are you addicted to scrolling on your phone?

Hmm, that's a good question.

Now, are you addicted to learning English and learning English with me, specifically?

If so, let's continue with more phrases.

So, the next three phrases are related.

The first one is "be accustomed to".

When you are accustomed to something, this

means you have a habit of it, you're comfortable

with it, you're familiar with it.

It's not new or strange or awkward for you.

So, for example, they are accustomed to eating dinner at 7.

This is their custom.

This is what they are used to.

That's another one.

We'll talk about that in a sec.

This is their habit.

So, they are accustomed to eating dinner at 7.

What time are you accustomed to eating dinner?

Me, I'm an early, early dinner person.

Now, if you are in, well, many places of the world,

you would think my dinner time is ridiculously early.

I eat dinner around 4.30.

Yeah, 4.30 is my dinner time because the kids

come home from school, they're hungry, and

dinner is ready, so why not?

We eat at 4.30.

Sometimes around 7 we have a little

something extra, but yeah, dinner's at 4.30.

I know places in the world dinner's at 9,

but I am accustomed to eating dinner at 4.30.

Another way to say to be accustomed to something is to be used to something.

So, she's not used to living in a tropical climate.

She is not accustomed to it.

She's not comfortable with it.

It's new for her.

It's a little strange for her.

She will get used to it over time.

So, yes, so she is not used to living in a tropical climate.

This is the same as to be accustomed to, but it's a little more casual.

I have many videos where I talk about be used

to, and used to, and get used to, so you can

check out my be used to, get used to, and

used to video if you want to, like, test your

knowledge of them.

Next, we have get used to.

So, whereas be used to and be accustomed to talk about the state of being familiar with

something, get used to talks about the process

of becoming familiar with something, becoming

So, for example, we are getting used to hearing train sirens in the morning.

So, those train sirens, so if you wake up in the morning and you live...

Maybe you moved to a place near a train station,

you have to become comfortable with hearing

trains and hearing the train sirens in the morning.

Next, we have be opposed to.

So, if you are opposed to something, you oppose it.

You are against it, basically.

You do not support it.

So, for example, he is opposed to hunting.

So, maybe all hunting.

He thinks animals should not be victims of gun violence.

That's a more dramatic way to put it, but maybe he is opposed to hunting.

If you hunt, if you don't hunt, it's none of my business.

Do whatever you wish to do, as long as it's legal.

Sometimes, even when it's not, I didn't say that.

Okay, object to, so yes, be opposed to or to object to something.

These are a little bit related.

If you object to something, you definitely

don't support it, and you say, "No, I object

I have the opposite position of this.

I strongly disagree with this."

So, for example, the workers' union objected to eliminating overtime.

So, the company said, "We are eliminating overtime.

There will be no more overtime.

The union in the company, the workers' union,

objected to this idea, this proposal, or this

So, they objected to eliminating overtime.

Next, we have relate to.

So, relate, relationship, right?

When you think about relating to something or someone, there's a relationship.

So, you're talking about something, and you're talking about hiking, right?

Just the act of hiking, and going on trips around the mountains, and around the hills,

and then suddenly your friend changes the

topic and starts talking about something else,

and you say, "Wait, wait, wait.

How does this relate to hiking?"

You can also use the term "connect to" in this case.

How does this connect to hiking or relate to hiking?

"We were just talking about hiking."

Okay, but you changed the subject.

Next, respond to, so what is your response to something?

So, for example, "How should schools respond to bullying?"

So, here, of course you could say "respond to bullies", like the people themselves, or

the act itself, right?

"How should schools respond to bullying?"

Next, we have "listen to".

Of course, you can listen to music, you can listen to your friends, you can listen to

But if you are listening to an argument, maybe

you would say this, like, "Ugh, I can't stand

listening to yelling, people speaking in loud voices.

Like, I can't stand listening to this."

"Get back to", so if you get back to something, you return to it.

So, here, let's get back to discussing the

project, like, "Hey, can we return to discussing

I don't want to talk about what you had for lunch."

And I want to go back, you can also say "go back to", see, more than 20 phrases.

You always get bonus material with me.

Let's get back to discussing the project, so let's return to it.

"Look forward to", I've talked about, I don't

know the number of times I have written "look

forward to" in over 300 videos that I have made.

And I would guess it's about 10, maybe, maybe more.

Anyway, "to look forward to" is to anticipate

something with pleasure, to be excited about

something in the future, so "look forward",

"forward" is the direction, and you look forward

to in the future, I am looking forward to reading your comments after this video.

That's the lesson.

That's the lesson, everybody.

So, just a reminder, you can use verb "ing" after "to", typically if the "to" acts as

After a preposition, you need an object, you need a thing.

Basically, in all of these cases, if you can

add the word "pizza" at the end of it, and

even if it doesn't make, like, logical sense,

but it makes grammatical sense, you can add

So, they're accustomed to pizza, right?

She's not used to pizza.

So, if you add the word "pizza", it's an object,

you can say, "Oh, okay", even if it doesn't

logically make sense.

Grammatically, if the word "pizza" makes sense, you can use verb "ing" as well.

So, think about verb "ing" as pizza.

That's the lesson I'm giving you today.

All right, to test your understanding of the

phrases we have studied in this lesson, check

out the quiz on www.engvid.com.

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attached to the description of the video for

that quiz link if you are watching this on YouTube or on other areas of the internet,

wherever we are in 10 years or 20 years.

All right, everybody.

So, thank you for clicking, good luck, and keep practicing.