What Does 'Look Forward To' Mean at Work? (And the Grammar Mistake to Avoid)

Look forward to expresses positive anticipation about a future event. It is a common professional email closing, but its grammar causes mistakes.

"I look forward to your feedback on the proposal."

"We're looking forward to the kickoff meeting next week."

What it signals

Look forward to adds warmth beyond a neutral expectation. It sounds friendlier than "I expect" or "I will wait for."

"I expect your response by Friday." (neutral, slightly demanding)

"I look forward to your response by Friday." (same request, noticeably warmer)

That is why people use it at the end of emails. It gives the message a positive close, even when discussing deadlines or problems.

"Thanks for flagging this. I look forward to discussing solutions on the call tomorrow."

The grammar rule that trips people up: it needs a gerund, not an infinitive

This is the key rule for look forward to. Here, to is a preposition, not part of an infinitive. What follows must be a noun phrase, often a noun or gerund (the -ing form). Therefore, a plain verb does not fit after "to" here.

These examples use the correct gerund form.

"I look forward to meeting you next week."

"I look forward to hearing your thoughts."

These examples use the incorrect infinitive form.

"I look forward to meet you next week."

"I look forward to hear your thoughts."

This mistake has a clear cause. Look forward to resembles "want to" or "plan to," where "to" starts an infinitive. But "look forward to" follows a different grammar pattern. Here, "to" is a preposition after the phrase "look forward." A preposition takes a noun phrase, which may contain a noun or gerund, not a plain verb.

A simple test

Not sure whether to use a gerund or infinitive? Replace the verb with a plain noun. If that noun fits naturally after "to," use the gerund.

"I look forward to [the meeting]." → "I look forward to meeting."

"I look forward to [your reply]." → "I look forward to hearing your reply."

If a plain noun sounds natural there, the gerund form will too.

Common mistakes

Mistake 1: Using the infinitive instead of the gerund.

This example uses the wrong infinitive form.

"I look forward to work with you."

This example uses the correct gerund form.

"I look forward to working with you."

Mistake 2: Using it in a tense or negative message.

Look forward to normally signals positive anticipation. Placing it directly after bad news without a transition can feel jarring.

"Unfortunately, we're cutting the budget by 20%. I look forward to your feedback!" (mismatched tone)

This option creates a smoother transition in tone.

"Unfortunately, we're cutting the budget by 20%. I know this is a tough adjustment, and I'm glad to talk through it — I look forward to your questions on the call."

Mistake 3: Using it as filler in every closing line.

It works as a polite email habit, but constant repetition can sound like a template. Vary your closing with alternatives such as "Happy to discuss further" or "Let me know your thoughts."

Practice scenarios

Practice using look forward to in these situations.

• closing a professional email on a warm, forward-looking note
• expressing genuine anticipation about a project, meeting, or collaboration
• softening the tone of a message that also contains a deadline or ask
• correcting yourself if you catch the infinitive mistake mid-sentence

Useful phrases to try.

• "I look forward to hearing from you."
• "We're looking forward to working together on this."
• "Looking forward to seeing how this turns out."
• "I look forward to your thoughts on the draft."

Lyra Practice helps advanced non-native English professionals learn the nuance of high-value workplace expressions and practice using them in realistic scenarios, so their English sounds natural, precise, and senior at work. Try Lyra Practice.