To attaining

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "To attaining" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly as "to" should be followed by the base form of a verb, not a gerund. Example: "The key to attaining success is hard work."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"They are inexorably on the road to attaining nuclear weapons".

The New York Times

Why are physical goals so deeply attached to attaining a certain type of body image?

The Guardian - Opinion

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Ryan Spadola is close to attaining what he had thought was unattainable.

The New York Times - Sports

Some economists think cheap oil will prove to be a big hindrance to attaining that goal.

The Economist

But for all its feigned superficiality, Superamas is genuine in every way and dangerously close to attaining cult status itself.

The New York Times - Arts

It would deny Palestinians the dignity, statehood and international assistance they were recently so close to attaining.

The New York Times

Although Elias points out that the two have different skill sets, which is "essential" to attaining success.

The Guardian

American intelligence agencies are divided over how close the North has come to attaining such an ability.

The New York Times

The overall point is to create a picture of human happiness and the obstacles to attaining it.

The New York Times - Arts

He is now remembered almost exclusively for his munificence, rather than the route he took to attaining wealth: reputation management (or laundering) par excellence.

The Guardian

All implausible feature-lust aside, though, the main obstacle to attaining all of this in a single camera is a little nuisance called physics.

The New York Times - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "To attaining" in formal writing. Opt for grammatically correct alternatives like "In order to attain" or "To achieve".

Common error

The word "to" in this context, as part of an infinitive phrase indicating purpose, should be followed by the base form of a verb, not a gerund (verb + -ing). Using a gerund after "to" creates a grammatically incorrect phrase. Prefer using the infinitive, such as "to achieve".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "To attaining" is intended to function as a purpose clause, indicating the goal or objective of an action. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

34%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "To attaining" is frequently used, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. It is intended to express purpose, but the incorrect use of the gerund after "to" undermines its effectiveness. The phrase appears across various contexts, particularly in news, media, and scientific publications; however, writers should opt for grammatically correct alternatives such as "in order to attain" or simply "to achieve" to ensure clarity and precision in their writing. Although it may be tempting to simply use the phrase as it is, the correct way is with the full infinitive ("to achieve", "to attain").

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

To achieve

Simplifies the phrase by using the infinitive form of the verb "achieve".

In order to attain

Adds "In order" for a more formal and grammatically correct expression of purpose.

So as to attain

Uses "So as to" to explicitly indicate purpose, offering a more polished phrasing.

For attaining

Replaces "To" with "For", changing the grammatical structure while preserving the purpose. Note that this also sounds unnatural and grammatically questionable.

With a view to attaining

Adds "With a view to" for a more formal and sophisticated expression.

With the aim of attaining

Introduces "With the aim of" to clarify the intended goal or objective.

For the purpose of attaining

More explicitly states the reason or objective of the action.

Intending to attain

Uses a participial phrase to convey the intention behind the action.

As a means of attaining

Highlights the method or instrument used to achieve the desired outcome.

Towards attaining

Employs "Towards" to suggest a directional movement in achieving the goal.

FAQs

How can I correctly express purpose using "attain"?

Instead of the incorrect phrase "To attaining", you can use phrases like "In order to attain", "So as to attain", or simply "to achieve".

Is "to attaining" grammatically correct?

No, "To attaining" is not grammatically correct in standard English. The preposition "to" indicating purpose should be followed by the base form of a verb (infinitive), not a gerund. The correct form is "to attain".

What's the difference between "to attain" and "to attaining"?

"To attain" is the correct infinitive form, used to express purpose or intention. "To attaining" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. Use "in order to attain" if you like but avoid "to attaining".

What are some alternatives to "to attaining" in formal writing?

In formal writing, you can use more precise phrases like "with the aim of attaining", "for the purpose of attaining", or "with a view to attaining" to express purpose clearly.