looking forward to play

USAGE SUMMARY

The correct expression is "looking forward to playing." You can use this expression when you are excited to do something.
For example, "I'm looking forward to playing softball with my friends this weekend."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"I signed for four years and I am looking forward to play for the first team," Kiesewetter said.

The New York Times

Dolev who also serves as chairman of the Inter-University-Communication-Center which connects Israeli universities and research branches of companies such as IBM, said 40 security experts from the organisation "are looking forward to play with the attackers".

The Guardian - Tech

And Assassin's Creed II came out last fall: do you really mean to tell me that SO MANY people were looking forward to play the port that you didn't have enough servers on hand to meet demand?

TechCrunch

We've had it on about 42 times in a row now and we're already looking forward to play 43.

Vice

After joining West Ham United, Diarra said he was delighted to join the club and was looking forward to play in the Premier League.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

I'm looking forward to playing here".

The New York Times - Sports

I hope to play, looking forward to playing".

The New York Times - Sports

I was so looking forward to playing.

The New York Times - Sports

"I was looking forward to playing.

The New York Times - Sports

Beckham is simply looking forward to playing.

The Guardian - Sport

And they are looking forward to playing".

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the gerund form after "looking forward to". The correct phrasing is "looking forward to playing".

Common error

Avoid using the infinitive form of the verb directly after "looking forward to". The correct structure requires the gerund, so always use "looking forward to playing" instead of "looking forward to play".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "looking forward to play" is intended to express anticipation or excitement about a future event. However, it is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI flags this and suggests the use of the gerund form.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "looking forward to play" aims to express anticipation, it's grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI identifies the correct form as "looking forward to playing". It appears infrequently, mainly in news and media, but its incorrectness diminishes its usability in formal contexts. Remember to use the gerund form to properly convey your enthusiasm. Avoid "looking forward to play" and use ""looking forward to playing"" instead.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

can't wait to play

Expresses impatience and excitement for the opportunity to play.

eager to play

Replaces "looking forward to" with "eager to", providing a more direct expression of enthusiasm.

excited to play

Similar to "eager to", this phrase uses "excited" to convey enthusiasm.

anticipating playing

Changes the structure to a participle phrase, emphasizing the act of playing is being anticipated.

keen to play

Similar to eager to, keen to implies enthusiasm.

awaiting the chance to play

A more formal way of expressing anticipation for the opportunity.

anxious to play

Anxious here means a positive anticipation, though it can also imply worry.

looking forward to participating

Substitutes 'play' with 'participating', broadening the scope of involvement.

yearning to play

Conveys a strong desire or longing to play.

hopeful to play

Focuses on the hope or expectation of being able to play.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say I anticipate an event?

The correct expression is "looking forward to" + gerund (verb + -ing). For example: "I'm "looking forward to playing"."

What can I say instead of "I'm looking forward to"?

You can use alternatives like "eager to", "can't wait to", or "excited about" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "looking forward to play" or "looking forward to playing"?

"Looking forward to playing" is the correct grammatical form. The phrase "looking forward to" requires a gerund (verb ending in -ing) after the preposition "to".

What's the difference between "looking forward to play" and "looking forward to playing"?

"Looking forward to play" is grammatically incorrect. "Looking forward to playing" is the correct form because the gerund "playing" is required after the preposition "to" in the phrase "looking forward to".