to occupying

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to occupying" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to convey an action related to the act of occupying, but it requires a different grammatical structure to be usable. Example: "The committee is committed to occupying the space effectively during the event."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

49 human-written examples

The specific references to occupying power are very precise and very legalistic.

The New York Times

Activists later said that they were continuing to occupying another part of the estate.

The Guardian

Jones's caustic takedown of 1-percenter exceptionalism arrives like a divine gift to occupying party poopers everywhere.

The New York Times - Books

Now that the Brotherhood had been overthrown, it reverted to occupying what seemed like a much more natural role.

The New Yorker

Marine Le Pen has not got close to occupying the Élysée Palace by advocating pluralism and tolerance.

The Guardian

Activists operating under the banner UK Uncut have taken to occupying stores whose owners and bosses have been avoiding tax.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

10 human-written examples

"Basically, I want to occupy Public Storage".

The New York Times

"The north wants to occupy Abyei".

The New York Times

Have challenged wets to occupy other half.

The New Yorker

Having abandoned a plan to occupy Africa.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Outdoor enthusiasts find plenty to occupy them.

The New York Times - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When intending to use a verb after "to", ensure it is in its base form (infinitive) or that the "to" is part of a prepositional phrase that correctly uses a gerund, depending on the intended meaning. If you want to follow the verb occupy it must be in its base form (to occupy).

Common error

Avoid using a gerund (occupying) directly after "to" when "to" should introduce an infinitive. Double-check if "to" functions as a preposition requiring a noun/gerund or as part of the "to + base verb" structure. For example, you can use "They admitted to occupying the building" (preposition) or "They plan to occupy the building" (infinitive).

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to occupying" functions as a grammatically incorrect gerund phrase. While many examples can be found, Ludwig AI marks this phrase as incorrect. Usually, "to" is used with the base form of a verb (infinitive), not a gerund.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "to occupying" is frequently encountered, as Ludwig reports, yet it is grammatically incorrect. The prevalence of this phrase across diverse contexts like News & Media and Science suggests a common misunderstanding of English grammar rules, especially those governing infinitives and gerunds. When you want to use a verb after "to", remember that "to" may work as a preposition (and therefore is possible to use the gerund form) or as part of an infinitive form (and therefore you must use the base form of the verb).

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

occupying

Removes the preposition "to", correcting the grammatical structure.

for occupying

Uses the preposition "for" instead of "to", creating a correct gerund phrase.

in occupying

Uses the preposition "in" instead of "to", creating a correct gerund phrase.

of occupying

Uses the preposition "of" instead of "to", creating a correct gerund phrase.

with occupying

Uses the preposition "with" instead of "to", creating a correct gerund phrase.

to occupy

Uses the infinitive form of the verb "occupy".

for the purpose of occupying

Adds clarity by specifying the purpose of occupying.

aiming to occupy

Expresses an intention or goal of occupying.

intending to occupy

Expresses an intention or plan to occupy.

in order to occupy

Clarifies the purpose or reason for occupying.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "occupying" after the word "to"?

The phrase "to occupying" is generally incorrect. If you intend to use "occupying", ensure that "to" functions as a preposition within a larger prepositional phrase. For example, use "They admitted "to occupying" the premises".

What is the correct grammatical structure to use instead of "to occupying"?

Instead of "to occupying", use "to occupy" (infinitive form) or rephrase the sentence to use a different preposition that correctly allows a gerund. Examples include: "They went back "to occupying" New York" is not grammatically correct; instead use "They went back to occupy New York."

When is it appropriate to use "occupying" after a preposition other than "to"?

It's appropriate to use "occupying" after prepositions such as "of", "for", "in", "with" or "about". For instance, "They were thinking of "of occupying" the building", "There are psychological consequences "to occupying" a place." In all the cases where "to" acts as a preposition it is correct to use the gerund form. Otherwise use the infinitive.

Which prepositions are commonly used with "occupying"?

Common prepositions used with "occupying" include "of", "for", "in", "with" and "about". Each preposition imparts a different meaning, so choose the one that best fits the intended context. Remember that with the preposition "to" is more common to use the infinitive form to occupy.