Prepositions are not normally used before infinitives in English. After verb/ noun/adjective + preposition, we usually use the -ing form of a following verb.
- He insisted on being paid at once, (NOT He insisted on to be paid ..-.)
- I don’t like the idea of getting married, (NOT … the idea of to get married.)
- I’m not very good at cooking, (NOT … good at to cook:)
In some cases we drop the preposition and use an infinitive. Compare:
- He asked for a loan. – We’re travelling for pleasure.
- He asked to borrow some money. We’re travelling to enjoy ourselves.
- She was surprised at his mistake.
- She was surprised to see what he had done.
Sometimes two structures are possible. There is often a difference of meaning or use. For more details, see -ing forms 7: remember, go on etc + -ing or infinitive.
- I’m interested in learning more about my family.
- I was interested to learn that my grandfather was Jewish.
For more information consult a good dictionary like Langman, Oxford, Merriam Webster, or Collins.
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