to examining

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to examining" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used in contexts where "to" should be followed by a verb in its base form, such as "to examine." Example: "I look forward to examining the results of the study."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

This may explain why students scored higher during peer examination when compared to examining the manikin.

BMC Medical Education

He set to examining the apartment, beginning with bathroom.

The New Yorker

He went back to examining Beth's palm, and scribbling notes.

The New Yorker

Ftools is crucial to examining the information from satellites.

The New York Times - Tech

"There needs to be a system-wide approach to examining.

The Guardian

"Nocsae is certainly open to examining that," Halstead said.

The New York Times - Sports

Presumably reference librarians would now say "Google it" to her and go back to examining Facebook.

The Guardian - Books

"I look forward to examining the detail when the policy is announced".

The Guardian

Cox remains committed to examining the African American experience from an honest and provocative standpoint.

Britannica

Few stones have been left unturned when it comes to examining Renoir's oeuvre.

The Economist

"She gave me a very curt 'thank you' and turned back to examining her fish guts".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the infinitive form "to examine" instead of "to examining". The preposition "to" is typically followed by the base form of the verb.

Common error

Avoid using the "-ing" form of a verb immediately after "to" unless it's part of a specific construction like "look forward to examining." In most cases, "to" requires the base form of the verb, as in "to examine."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to examining" typically functions as part of a longer verb phrase where "to" is intended to be part of an infinitive construction. However, it is grammatically incorrect because "to" should be followed by the base form of the verb, not the gerund. As Ludwig AI points out, standard English requires "to examine" instead.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

59%

News & Media

37%

Encyclopedias

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "to examining" appears frequently across various sources, including scientific and news outlets, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The standard rule is that "to" should be followed by the base form of a verb (e.g., "to examine") when forming an infinitive. As Ludwig AI highlights, using the gerund form (-ing) after "to" is only appropriate when "to" is part of a prepositional phrase. Therefore, writers should opt for "to examine" or rephrase the sentence to ensure grammatical correctness. Alternatives include using the infinitive form or restructuring the sentence with phrases like "for examination" or "in order to examine."

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to examine

Corrects the grammatical structure by using the infinitive form of the verb.

to investigate

Replaces "examining" with a synonym, while correcting the grammatical structure by using the infinitive form of the verb.

to analyze

Replaces "examining" with a synonym, while correcting the grammatical structure by using the infinitive form of the verb.

to study

Replaces "examining" with a synonym, while correcting the grammatical structure by using the infinitive form of the verb.

to inspect

Replaces "examining" with a synonym, while correcting the grammatical structure by using the infinitive form of the verb.

examining

Omits 'to,' thus turning the phrase into a gerund form, though usually a different sentence construction is required.

for examination

Replaces the verb form with a noun phrase.

in order to examine

Adds "in order" to create a purpose clause with the correct infinitive form.

with the aim of examining

Introduces a more formal structure expressing purpose.

toward examination

Replaces "to" with "toward" and uses the noun form, offering a slightly different nuance.

FAQs

What is the correct grammatical form: "to examine" or "to examining"?

"To examine" is the correct infinitive form. "To examining" is grammatically incorrect in most contexts.

When is it appropriate to use a verb ending in "-ing" after the word "to"?

Using a verb ending in "-ing" after "to" is appropriate when "to" is part of a prepositional phrase, such as "looking forward "to hearing" from you" or "committed "to improving" our services". In these cases, the "to" is part of a larger prepositional structure, not an infinitive.

What are some alternatives to the phrase "to examining"?

Alternatives include: "to analyze", "to investigate", "to study", or "to inspect", depending on the intended meaning.

How can I ensure I'm using the correct verb form after the word "to"?

If "to" introduces an infinitive, use the base form of the verb (e.g., "to go", "to see", "to examine"). If "to" is part of a prepositional phrase, use the gerund form (verb ending in "-ing", e.g., "looking forward to seeing", "dedicated to learning").