Page 469 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

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TeUmeaboutyourtrip.
Tell me (about) where you went.
I asked her about her religious beliefs.
I asked her whether she believed in God.
(More natural than I asked her about whether she believed in God.) We may be late - it depends on the traffic.
We may be late - it depends (on) how much traffic there is.
I'm not sure ofhis method.
I'm not sure how he does it.
(More natural than I'm not sure ofhow he does it.)
Look at this.
Look (at) wlult I've got.
prepositions (7): -ing forms and infinitives 454
In other cases it is unusual or impossible to leave out the preposition.
I'm worried about where she is. (NOT tm ftlfJrFied where she is.)
The police questioned me about wlult I'd seen. (NOT The p6Uee tff:leSHtmeti
me whatttlseen.)
There's the question o f who's going to pay.
(More natural than ... the question who's going to pay.)
People's chances ofgetting jobs vary according to whether they live in the
North or the South. (NOT ••• aec6rtiing whether . ..)
Ifdoes not normally follow prepositions; we use whether (see 621) instead.
I'm worried about whether you're happy. (NOT I'm ftlfJrried ttbBl:tt if...) For the structures (with and without preposition) that are possible after a particular verb, noun or
adjective, see a good dictionary.
454 prepositions (7): -ing forms and infinitives
Prepositions are not normally used before infinitives in English. After verb/ noun/adjective + preposition, we usually use the -ingform ofa following verb.
He insisted on being paid at once. (NOT He ifl:!isteti 6n t6 be ptiitl . ..)
I don't like the idea ofgetting married. (NOT ••• the itiett ofw get mttrried.) I'm not very good at cooking. (NOT ••• gfJotl ttt W e66k)
In some cases we drop the preposition and use an infinitive. Compare:
- He asked for a loan. - We're travelling for pleasure.
He asked to borrow some money. We're travelling to enjoy ourselves.
- She was surprised at his mistake.
She was surprised to see what he had done.
Sometimes two structures are possible. There is often a difference of meaning or use. For more details, see 299.
I'm interested in learning more about my family.
I was interested to learn that my grandfather was Jewish.
For details of the structures that are possible after a particular verb. noun or adjective. see a good dictionary.
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