Use verb-ing after prepositions and in common expressions such as worth and no point. This lesson focuses on the choices that most often affect meaning, accuracy, and natural English.
Core idea
Grammar is easier to use when you connect the form to the message it carries. Read the complete sentence, identify the relationship between its parts, and then choose the structure that expresses that relationship clearly.
Forms and choices
- A verb after a preposition normally takes -ing: “They succeeded by testing several versions.”
- The same rule applies when to is a preposition: “I look forward to hearing from you.”
- Learn verb-preposition combinations as one unit, such as insist on and apologize for.
- Expressions such as it is worth and there is no point in also take -ing.
Original examples
- Kai apologized for missing the rehearsal.
- We are interested in joining the workshop.
- This documentary is worth watching twice.
- There is no point in arguing about the weather.
Notice that each example gives enough context to make the grammar choice meaningful. When you write your own example, include a real person, time, place, purpose, or result instead of practicing an isolated fragment.
A reliable decision process
- Find the main verb and its subject.
- Decide what relationship you need to express: time, quantity, comparison, purpose, position, or attitude.
- Check the words immediately before and after the gap.
- Read the full sentence again and confirm both meaning and form.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Do not choose a form only because it resembles a structure in another language.
- Do not ignore whether the next element is a noun phrase, a clause, a base verb, or an -ing form.
- Do not memorize an example without understanding why that form fits its context.
Test and writing strategy
In a gap-fill question, use the surrounding grammar before judging vocabulary. In your own writing, prefer the shortest structure that preserves your exact meaning. During revision, search for the target words from this lesson and inspect each one in its full clause.