What you'll learn
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to handle more complex verb combinations: verb + preposition + -ing, and verbs that change meaning with their pattern.
When do I use it?
Beyond the simple -ing and infinitive patterns, English has combinations you must learn as fixed chunks:
- verb + preposition + -ing: "I'm looking forward to seeing you." "She apologized for being late." "He insisted on paying."
- verb + -ing without a preposition: "They kept talking." "We discussed buying a house."
- verb + object + -ing: "I can't imagine him cooking." "Do you mind me asking?"
The preposition is the trap: after a preposition, the verb ALWAYS takes -ing, even after "to": "look forward to seeing", "get used to working".
How do I form it?
verb + preposition + -ing verb + -ing / verb + object + -ing
- I look forward to meeting you.
- She apologised for arriving late.
- He insisted on paying for dinner.
- They discussed moving abroad.
- I can't stand waiting in queues.
- Do you mind me opening the window?
Common mistakes for Spanish speakers
Because Spanish uses "a" and "de" prepositions with infinitives, speakers naturally write "look forward to meet" — wrong. After ANY preposition, including "to", the verb is -ing: "look forward to seeing". Also, "discussed to buy" is wrong (discuss takes direct -ing, no preposition): "we discussed buying". And Spanish "no puedo imaginar que él cocine" → "I can't imagine him cooking", not "I can't imagine that he cooks".
Preposition + verb → always -ing. Verbs like mind, keep, discuss, imagine → direct -ing.
Practice
Multiple Choice
B1Which sentence is correct?
Fill in the Blank
B1She apologised for late to the meeting.
Hint: After a preposition, use -ing.
Find the Error
B1Sentence Transformation
B1Task: Rewrite with insist on + -ing
Hint: insist on + verb-ing.
Practice Speaking
Apply what you've learned in a real conversation with AI feedback.
Level: B1