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I look forward to ~ing I understand "I look forward to ~ing" means I aspire something. I look forward to watching the drama.(O) I look forward to watch the drama.(X) Why is it wrong the latter sentence? Is it mandatory to change verb to "~ing" form?

Corrections · 3

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I look forward to ~ing

I understand "I look forward to ~ing" means I aspire something.

I look forward to watching the drama.(O)
I look forward to watch the drama.(X)

Why is it wrong the latter sentence?
Is it mandatory to change verb to "~ing" form?

 

Yes, you need to always use -ing. It's because "to" is a preposition and needs a noun or pronoun as the object. The -ing form acts as a noun, while the to form is a verb

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It is mandatory to change to the "ing" form in sentences like this, but I am not entirely sure why! The way I think of it is that, in the second sentence, the full verb is a verb phrase - to "watching the drama", (or "watching it" with a pronoun standing in for "the drama") which acts as the full verb. To make a verb phrase one must change a verb into "ing" form.

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