Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: My brother is looking forward to meeting his employer tomorrow.
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question tests knowledge of verb patterns and preposition use in English, especially the common expression look forward to. Many competitive exam questions focus on whether candidates know that to in this phrase is a preposition, not part of an infinitive, so it must be followed by a noun or gerund form. The given sentence is My brother is looking forward to meeting his employer tomorrow. The task is to decide if this sentence needs improvement and, if so, which alternative is best according to standard English usage.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The key grammar point is that look forward to is a fixed phrasal expression where to is a preposition. Prepositions are normally followed by a noun, pronoun, or gerund. Therefore, the pattern is look forward to + noun or look forward to + verb-ing. Examples include I am looking forward to the party and She is looking forward to meeting you. Using the bare infinitive form meet after to here is incorrect because that treats to as part of an infinitive rather than a preposition. Similarly, adding extra words like for or that can disturb the fixed expression and sound unnatural.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the core expression: is looking forward to.Step 2: Recall the correct pattern: look forward to + noun or verb-ing.Step 3: Examine the original sentence. It uses meeting after to, which is a gerund and fits the pattern perfectly.Step 4: Check Option A: to meet uses the bare infinitive, which does not follow the prepositional to and is considered incorrect with look forward to.Step 5: Check Option B: looks forward for meeting introduces an incorrect preposition for and changes the tense slightly, making the sentence awkward.Step 6: Check Option C: repeats the grammatically correct original sentence.Step 7: Check Option D: is looking forward that he will meet breaks the fixed expression and creates an unidiomatic structure.Step 8: Conclude that the original sentence, as in Option C, is already correct and needs no improvement.
Verification / Alternative check:
Compare with standard examples from grammar references. Commonly taught models include I look forward to hearing from you, We are looking forward to our vacation, and They are looking forward to seeing their friends. In each case, to is followed by a gerund or noun. You never see look forward to meet in correct formal English. This confirms that meeting is the right form after to in the given sentence.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to treat to after look forward as if it formed an infinitive, leading to incorrect patterns like look forward to meet you. Another pitfall is adding extra prepositions such as for or using clauses with that after look forward. Remember that look forward to is a fixed expression and should be followed by a noun or verb-ing form. Repeating and practising such chunks helps you sound more fluent and avoids unnecessary errors in exams.
Final Answer:
The correct and most natural sentence is My brother is looking forward to meeting his employer tomorrow.
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