To-Infinitive vs. Preposition “To”: Key Differences and Uses

Two Types of “to”

In English, you will often see “to” in sentences. However, have you noticed that “to” has two different uses? Below is a simple summary of the two main types of “to” in English:

• preposition “to”
• to-infinitive

Take a look at the sentence below:

I like to go to school.

In this sentence, the first “to” is part of the to-infinitive, while the second “to” is a preposition. This can be identified by looking at what comes after each one.

In this article, we will explore these two types of “to” and how they function differently.

Preposition

Prepositions are a type of word that usually do not carry a clear meaning on their own. Common examples include “in,” “on,” “at,” “with,” and “through.” Unlike content words such as nouns and verbs, prepositions are generally classified as function words. In other words, their main role is grammatical: they help show relationships between words and ideas in a sentence.

Preposition “to”

Some “to” in English sentences are preposition. You can immediately understand preposition “to” because what comes after prepositions must be always a noun, a noun phrase, a gerund, or a gerund phrase.

Here are some example sentences using prepositional “to.”

Example Sentences with Prepositional “to”

I look forward to seeing you.

This is one of the most commonly misunderstood expressions. Some learners may think that “I look forward to see you” is correct. However, the “to” in this expression is a preposition, so it must be followed by a noun or a gerund. That is why we say “I look forward to seeing you,” not “I look forward to see you.”

I’m committed to improving my English.

In this sentence, to is a preposition. Therefore, it must be followed by a noun or a gerund. So we say “committed to improving,” not “committed to improve.”

She is used to waking up early.

Here, “be used to” means “be accustomed to.” Since “to“ here is a preposition, the verb after it becomes a gerund: waking.

To-Infinitive

The difference between the to-infinitive and the preposition “to” is fairly clear. A preposition is typically followed by a noun or a gerund, whereas the to-infinitive is followed by the base form of a verb.

Now, let’s return to the sentence we looked at earlier in this article:

I like to go to school.

We can immediately recognize that the first “to” is part of the to-infinitive because it is followed by the base form of a verb. This is one of the clearest grammatical differences between the to-infinitive and the preposition “to.”

Here are some example sentences using the to-infinitive.

Example Sentences with To-Infinitive

I want to study abroad someday.

In this sentence, the to-infinitive is used after the verb “want.” It expresses what the speaker wants to do.

She decided to take the early train.

Here, the to-infinitive follows “decided.” It shows the action that she chose to take.

They hope to finish the project by Friday.

In this example, the to-infinitive is used after “hope.” It refers to the action they wish to complete.

She plans to become a doctor.

In this sentence, the to-infinitive is used after “plans.” It refers to her future goal.

As these examples show, the to-infinitive is often used after certain verbs to express an action, plan, decision, desire, or intention.