I plan on going to college.
I plan to go to college.
Is there any difference in meaning between the two sentence?
They are both correct and have the same meaning, but I prefer the use of “plan to” than the last one, as you see, it’s shorter than “plan on”.
Dear Khenry,
In order to answer you question, I have searched my grammar book. I have found that, the verb “plan” can take only infinitives (see example 1). So it cannot go with gerund. But when you connect “plan” with “going to” by a preposition “on”, then it becomes a form of “Verb + Preposition + Gerund” (see example 2). Thus both sentences are corrected in grammar.
Besides, you can use a gerund to refer to an activity or state; and, you can use an infinitive (follows a verb) to refer to an activity or state.
Because your two sentences express the same activity (going to college/go to college). So they have the same meaning.
Example 1: I expect to receive her letter today.
Example 2: I believe in telling the truth.
If you have any concern about my expression, please post it in this thread.
Regards,
Kim Sa
I am wondering about second example how is the structure has created? Shall I necessarily use preposition?
For example
I watch the game getting pleasure from it
I think it’s right
“Plan to do” is the normal construction; “plan on doing” is a more informal construction. It is still right, but it shouldn’t be used in formal language. Because it is less formal, it has a less definite, less organized connotation than “plan to”, but apart from that they have the same meaning, as Kim Sa explained.
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“I believe in telling the truth”:
The fixed phrase is “to believe in something”; “telling” is a gerund, so it functions as a noun and is the object of the preposition “in”. -
“I watch the game, getting pleasure from it”:
“Getting” is not a gerund here but a participle: it functions as an adjective to “I”. This is an entirely different construction from the sentence above. Note that this sentence sounds a bit stiff: this kind of construction is not used very much, because the natural way would be to say something like “I watch the game because I get pleasure from it”, or “I watch the game and I get pleasure from it”.
Thank you, Mr. Cerberus
I get more information about your expression.
Sincerely,
Kim Sa
Thank you, Cerberus.
It is difficult for me to know whether an expression is formal or informal by looking at the sentences, nor the actual meaning different from the literal meaning.
I’m learning English by reading English text all by myself with the help only from the dictionaries I use.
The dictionaries says ‘plan’ can be both transitive and intransitive.
So I figured that ‘plan’ in plan on going’ is intransitive and on going a prepositional phrase.
If infinitive ‘to go’ is used, then it become the object of verb plan, I thought.
Am I understanding right?
Yes, you’ve got it right. Reading a lot and looking up expressions that are unclear is a great way to learn. Googling expressions can work too. And you can also learn a lot from writing.
Thank you for your advise.
I will do like you said.
Hi Khendry,
That should be ‘thank you for your advice’.
‘Advice’ is a noun.
You have given me advice.
‘Advise’ is a verb.
You have advised me.
Oh Oooh!
Thank you for your correction.
You are like an English knight defending English from being corrupted by foreigners.
That’s a good thing to do for both native and ESL speakers, because we all want to see the uncorrupted wholesome English for the sake of the language itself and the good communication.
For us ESL folks to speak the correct English, you must not slumber overlooking any mistakes we happen to make due to our lack in proper English writing skill.
Knowing the giving of correction is not a pleasant thing to do, I appreciate your kindness to do so for me and others who are trying to learn your language to communicate with you and others who speak other languages that I haven’t got a lick of understanding whatsoever.
I’m so glad to be happened by this site, and looking forward to knowing you guys and gals better.
Let’s have a great English day!
Hi Khendry,
Foreigners generally try to get the English language correct. It’s native English speakers who tend to cause the greatest corruption.
I’m glad you find the forums useful.
Why did you use correct insead of correctly, Bee?
“Correct” was an object complement, which is normally an adjective, not an adverb. This is because it belongs to a noun phrase “the English language”, not to a verb. Compare “I painted the house red”, “you make me mad”, “I find this cat very attractive”. Admittedly the distinction is not always clear.
I thought all native speakers speak the standard English and take whatever they say as ‘it’, it being like the standard weight on the English language scale to weigh out all other speeches done by foreigners like me.
What say?
Thank you Cerberus. I think you explained that far more succinctly than I’d have been able to do. 
Khenry - if only that were true. The reality is that you should not always believe native English speakers are using correct grammar. Very often, they aren’t.
I took an educated guess assuming that you wouldn’t mind my interpreting your writing, Bee, and I am glad I turned out right.
Khenry: as a piece of encouragement, I believe that an intelligent, hard-working foreigner can learn to speak a second language better than some native speakers who have received little education, or who lack appreciation for their language.
Thank you. I knew the information but actually couldn’t see it clearly in the sentence.
Yes. Some native speakers se bad grammar so often that it has become one of their habits and they don’t realize, explaining that it’s spoken English and tell us foreign students to follow naturally.
I don’t speak my own language well either. I spend so much time learning English that I have no time left to study grammar rules of my own language. Very funny.