To be used to

[auckland10]

This question is part of an exam.

Achieve this sentence "Unlike many Europeans, most Americans ... foreign languages" with one of these:
a) don't used to speak
b) didn't use to speak
c) aren't used to speak
d) aren't used to speaking

The correct answer is said to be d) "aren't used to speaking"  .
According to me the correct answer is c) "aren't used to speak".
And according to you what is the correct answer ?

[Paeleben]

Yes of course, for me the good one is c) because if you place "to" in english, in my mind I think to add a infinitive verb. ING is with at, for, with, but not TO. But now, I'm not an english man... 

[TheBrain]

The answer is (d)

It is --ing  because the 'speaking' happens over a long time.

"Americans are not used to speaking foreign languages."

I am English 

[Thomas]

Welcome to the forum, auckland10!

The difficult part with this is that "to" has multiple roles in English. When it is part of the infinitive, then it's followed by the base form of the verb, so it would be "to speak". But when it's acting as a preposition, you use the -ing form, as with all prepositions, which is the case here, so it's "...to speaking"

Your title actually tells which one is correct. The expression is "to be used to" -- you can see that the second "to" in the phrase is part of this expression, and not part of the verb, so it's a preposition. (You often find prepositions attached to verbs in English). And because it's a preposition, you use the -ing form.

And TheBrain, welcome to the forum, too! Other native speakers are always helpful

[mamour]

It's not the gerondif form

Après une préposition :

    * Ex. Are you interested in working for us? Cela vous dirait de travailler pour nous ?

[Thomas]

No, it is! I edited my post (I extended one of the senteces) to make it a bit clearer, perhaps

Are you interested in working for us?

Wonderful sentence

[auckland10]

Merci beaucoup !

[auckland10]

Would you say it's the same for "to look forward to",
the second "to" is acting as a preposition ?

And therefore, the sentence "I am looking forward to visiting America" would be correct !



Nevertheless, thanks very much Thomas for your great podcasts.
Thanks also to the forum members for participating.

[Thomas]

Exactly