有關英文語法的問題

(1) "to" as a preposition, has to be followed by a noun, pronoun, noun phrase or gerund, which is called the object of the preposition.

You are on your way to becoming confident...

"to" is a preposition here, with the meaning of "in the direction of" or "towards" something. Therefore, it is correct to have a gerund "becoming" after the preposition "to".

(2) "to" can also be used as an infinitive marker, called particle.
For example: She is studying to become a teacher.

2015-05-07 01:49:19 補充：
In English, there are several criteria to form a fixed word combinations:
(1) Set Phrase
(2) Collocation 搭配詞
(3) Idiom 慣用語
(4) Phrasal Verbs

look forward to = (4)
key to = (2) noun + preposition
subject to = (2) adj + preposition

on your way = (3)
+adverb: in / out / home
+ preposition: to

2015-05-07 02:06:39 補充：
Examples:

Adjective + Preposition Combinations Followed by Gerunds
http://www.englishpage.com/gerunds/adjective_prep_gerund_list.htm

Noun + Preposition Combinations Followed by Gerunds
http://www.englishpage.com/gerunds/noun_prep_gerund_list.htm

2015-05-07 02:40:44 補充：
Reply 005:

to-infinitive: to (particle) + base form of verb

Infinitives can be used as a/an:
~ object following the verb
~ subject of a sentence
~ adverb modifying a verb
~ adjective modifying a noun

She is studying to become a teacher. (from Oxford)

to become = adverb stating purpose

2015-05-07 02:45:01 補充：
Example of "to become" used as an adjective modifying a noun:

This is the best way to become a teacher.

"way" means "method" here.

2015-05-07 02:47:27 補充：
Example of "to become" used as an object following the verb:

She wants to become a teacher.

2015-05-07 02:51:16 補充：
Example of "to become" used as the subject of a sentence:

To become a competent teacher requires a lot of care and attention.

You are ON YOUR WAY TO becoming confident and competent mathematics teacher who can spark the learning interest of students and make mathematics lively and relevant to ourlives.

2015-05-06 19:24:42 補充：
I am LOOK FORWARD TO seeing you/meeting you.


THE KEY TO allowing students to ENJOY learning is ...

2015-05-06 19:36:13 補充：
那我想問

LOOK FORWARD TO / THE KEY TO / SUBJECTＴO 等等這些的expression 的後面是不是一定是加 gerund 或者是noun, 例如: The key to "success"



　

2015-05-06 19:40:31 補充：
另外,

She is studying "to become" a teacher. 等等這種的表達方式，才是　

to + infinitive ?

2015-05-06 19:50:04 補充：
在這裏，　BECOMING 是不是 participle？

我發覺學生因為一直以來都是用讀規則的方式來學英文，而不是用理解句子和用"語文"溝通的意義來學英文，因此只會記住老師教: TO 之後一定要跟一個INFINITIVE的VERB才是正確的"文法"標準答案。


其他人的答案都是正確的文法講解，希望問者從中認知TO為甚麼是PREPOSITION，或甚麼是PREPOSITION - 但可能這些會是問者的下一個問題了。

這句的格式/分柝是

You are
on your way to
becoming
"a" confident and competent mathematics teacher
[note: 句子錯漏寫了"a"... teacher

這個TO是Preposition的意思是它是ON THE WAY TO這句phrase/expression的一部份。不是指後面詞BECOMING的「前置詞」。我想TＯ become的TO都是"前置"在become前面吧...[這是用中文學英文常見的混淆詞性的意思]

英文有很多由多字組成意思的Phrase/Expression是必要連在一起讀/用它的

常見的:
look forward to [常見於書信結語"期盼"面見]...seeing you/meeting you.
with regard to [常見於公文開頭"有關/關於"某事件/查詢]...relocating/changing
subject to [常見於回答要求的附加條件]...meeting the following conditions
in spite of ["縱然"/"縱使"] having prepared, he still failed the test.
...
要多看不同寫法的文章或論文才會見到這些用於討論的句子。
這些expression並不一定跟住gurend(V-ing)的，但一定noun。
例如常見
You are ON YOUR WAY TO the top, congregrations.[恭喜你，你的職位步步高升...最終應可坐上最高位]

另一個常見情況：

Key to [gerund]

Hard work is the key to passing examinations.

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/threads/37313-to-gerund-or-infinitive