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C1 Advanced Grammar • 12 mins Theme: Gentrification & Changing Neighbourhoods

To + -ing After Verbs and Adjectives

Learn how to correctly use action words ending in -ing after specific combinations with the word "to".

💡 How to use this lesson

📋 For the Teacher

Spend about 12 minutes guiding learners through the 4 core rules and pattern examples. Have students compare their answers in pairs before reviewing the automated feedback.

🎯 For the Learner

First, read the simple rule explanations and notice how words are grouped together. Next, complete the 12 practice items below to master using this structure in sentences about city changes.

📌 Core Grammar Rules

Why this works	Examples
In phrases like look forward to, object to, or be committed to, the word to acts as a connecting preposition. Because it is a preposition, you must follow it with a noun or an -ing form. You should never use the plain base verb here.	• Local people look forward to seeing the old cinema reopen. • Many shopkeepers look forward to welcoming new customers.
Other action words use to as part of an infinitive verb phrase. You can test this by trying to place a simple noun right after to. If a regular noun fits cleanly, use -ing; if a noun sounds wrong, use the base verb instead.	• The new owners hope to keep prices low for a year. • The developer plans to renovate the derelict mill.
Where you put not changes the meaning. Not before the phrase means no promise was made. Not after to means a promise to keep things as they are.	• The firm is not opposed to building cheaper flats. • The council is committed to not demolishing derelict houses.
When the action has its own doer, place that doer directly between to and the -ing form. You can use a regular noun, an object pronoun like him, or a possessive word like his in formal writing. To show an action happening to someone, use being plus the word you use after has, such as asked or moved.	• Neighbours objected to the cafe owner playing music late at night. • Inhabitants object to being displaced by developers.

📝 Sentence Pattern Example

"Some inhabitants resort to signing petitions when a developer ignores them."

Notice how the action word following "resort to" takes an -ing ending!

Practice Exercises (12 Items)

Complete each task below. Every question includes a hint in brackets to help guide your answer.

1. Which sentence correctly describes the city's plan for the deprived area? (preposition)

____ a. The council is committed to regenerate the deprived district. ____ b. The council is committed to regenerating the deprived district. ____ c. The council is committed regenerate the deprived district.

2. Which sentence means the council has promised to keep the old market? (meaning)

____ a. The council is not committed to selling the old market. ____ b. The council is committed to not selling the old market. ____ c. The council is committed to not sell the old market.

3. Which sentence correctly expresses the developer's decision? (infinitive)

____ a. The developer decided to renovating the derelict warehouse. ____ b. The developer decided to renovate the derelict warehouse. ____ c. The developer decided renovating the derelict warehouse.

4. Rewrite the sentence using look forward to. (rewrite)

Original: Mara is excited that she will see her renovated neighbourhood again.

____ (Type the full rewritten sentence here...)

5. Rewrite the sentence using object to. (rewrite)

Original: Local campaigners protest that companies construct upmarket apartments here.

____ (Type the full rewritten sentence here...)

6. Rewrite the sentence using resort to. (rewrite)

Original: Inhabitants finally use legal action against the developer.

____ (Type the full rewritten sentence here...)

7. Complete the sentence with one short word. (negative)

The council has made no promise to sell the park, so it is ____ committed to selling it.

8. Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb sell. (verb)

The family hopes ____ the old shop before spring.

9. Complete the sentence with the passive form of be. (preposition)

Many local shopkeepers are opposed to ____ forced out by higher commercial rents.

10. Read this message from a campaigner and correct the error in the underlined phrase. (error)

"Hey! The council has promised to keep the old market, so it is committed not selling it."

Corrected phrase: ____

11. Read this message about local news and correct the single error. (error)

"Did you hear? The developer has agreed to paying for the new playground."

Corrected phrase: ____

12. Read this chat message and correct the mistake. (error)

"The inhabitants object to the landlord raise the rent so quickly."

Corrected phrase: ____

To + -ing After Verbs and Adjectives

To + -ing After Verbs and Adjectives

💡 How to use this lesson

📌 Core Grammar Rules

Practice Exercises (12 Items)

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