Can't wait means you're very excited about something and want it to happen soon: I can't wait to see you. A short Can't wait. on its own often sounds ironic when the subject is boring or unpleasant: A three-hour meeting on Monday? Can't wait. In other words, “sounds awful”. There's also a literal meaning: I can't wait any longer, when you've run out of patience.
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can't wait + to + verb; can't wait for + noun; can't wait for + person/thing + to + verb; can't wait any longer
- I can't wait to show you the photos from our trip to Georgia.
- The kids can't wait for the summer holidays to start.
- Ten hours on a bus with no Wi-Fi? Can't wait.
What changed
First versionI can't wait to seeing you at the conference next week.
RevisionI can't wait to see you at the conference next week.
The mistake comes from the similar phrase look forward to seeing you, where to is followed by -ing. After can't wait to, you need the base form of the verb: can't wait to see, can't wait to start.
Look forward to describes the same expectation, but it's calmer and more polite, so it suits a business email: I look forward to hearing from you. Can't wait is more emotional and sounds friendly, so in a message to someone you don't know, look forward to is the better choice.
Your turn
I ___ to try the new Thai restaurant on Friday!
Show the answer
can't wait — The gap is followed by to try, the base form of a verb, and only can't wait fits that. Look forward needs to + -ing: look forward to trying.
Write to a friend about an event you're really looking forward to. Name the event and say when it is.
I can't wait for the jazz festival next Saturday. I've already bought tickets for both of us.
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