Gerunds and Infinitives Error Correction

First identify the word or phrase that controls the next verb. If the controller is a verb such as enjoy, avoid, finish, suggest, or deny, the next verb is usually a gerund. If it is want, decide, hope, agree, or refuse, the next verb is usually an infinitive. If the controller is a preposition, use a gerund. If it is make, let, had better, or would rather, use the base verb without to.

In look forward to, the word to is a preposition, not an infinitive marker. You can test this by replacing the verb with a noun: "I look forward to the meeting" is grammatical, so the verb form after to must behave like a noun. That is why we say "I look forward to meeting you," not "I look forward to meet you." The same idea applies to be used to, object to, and be committed to.

The most common errors are using an infinitive after gerund-only verbs, using a gerund after infinitive-only verbs, adding to after make or let, and treating prepositional to as an infinitive marker. Meaning-changing pairs also cause problems: remember doing is a memory of the past, while remember to do means not forgetting a future duty. Stop doing means cease an activity, while stop to do means pause in order to do something else.