Participle Prepositions

Hello Friends,

Have you ever noticed that ‘To’ is at once an ‘Infinitive’ and a ‘Preposition’? Yes! ‘To’ is both ‘Infinitive’ and ‘Preposition’. Look at the following sentences and notice where ‘To’ has been used as an Infinitive and where it has been used as a ‘Preposition’:-

We’re going to have dinner at Rahul’s. (Here, ‘to’ has taken ‘have’ and so ‘to have’ is an Infinitive)
We are going to house. (Here, ‘to’ has taken ‘house’ which is a Noun; hence, here ‘to’ is a Preposition.)

Note: It is to be borne in mind that a Preposition takes 'Noun' or 'Gerund' or 'Objective form of Pronoun'

There are some certain Idiomatic Expressions ending in ‘to’. The ‘to’ in such expressions is a Preposition indeed.

Such Idiomatic Expressions ending in ‘to’ as a Preposition are as follows:

With a view to

We all reached there with a view to attending the motivation class.

Look forward to

I am looking forward to watching the cricket match between India and Pakistan.
(=I am looking forward to the cricket match between Indian and Pakistan.)

On the way to

On the way to going to school, I saw a spectacle on the road-side.
(=On the way to school, I saw a spectacle on the road-side)

Prone to

Babies are highly prone to catching colds.
(=Babies are highly prone to colds.)

Dedicated to

I am dedicated to serving for the poor.
(=I am dedicated to the service to the poor.)

Used to

He was used to taking wine two years ago.
(=He was used to win two years ago.)

Key to

Being sincere about one’s studies is the key to getting success.
(=Being sincere about one’s studies is the key to success.)

Accustomed to

He does not feel sick while traveling by bus as he has become accustomed to traveling by it.
(=He does not feel sick while traveling by bus as he has become accustomed to it.)