Look forward to means to feel happy and excited about something that is going to happen. It expresses pleasant expectation of a meeting, a holiday or a new job. Business letters often end with this sentence: I look forward to hearing from you.
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look forward to + noun; look forward to + -ing; I look forward to + -ing (formal letters)
- I'm really looking forward to the weekend after such a busy week.
- Our team is looking forward to working with the new designer.
- Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.
What changed
First versionI'm looking forward to see you in London next month.
RevisionI'm looking forward to seeing you in London next month.
Here “to” links the phrase to the thing you are waiting for, just as it does before a noun: “looking forward to the trip”. That is why the verb after “to” takes -ing: “to seeing”. The mistake comes from phrases like “want to see” or “hope to see”, where the basic form follows “to”.
“I look forward to” sounds more formal and suits a business letter: I look forward to your reply. “I'm looking forward to” is more natural in conversation and in messages to friends. The meaning is the same.
Your turn
Thank you for the invitation. We're looking forward to ___ your family in June.
Show the answer
meeting — You need “meeting”: after “look forward to”, a verb always takes -ing. “Meet” without the ending is a mistake here, even though it comes straight after “to”.
Write a short message to a friend about an event you are looking forward to in the coming months. Say what the event is and what you are looking forward to most.
I'm really looking forward to our trip to Georgia in May, and most of all to hiking in the mountains.
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