In this excerpt "to" is not a preposition according to Saylor academy. However, it is a preposition on chatgpt.
Elizabeth was a beautiful princess. She lived in a castle and had expensive clothes. She was going "to" marry a prince named Roland. Unfortunately, a dragon smashed her castle, burned all her clothes with his fiery breath, and carried off Prince Roland. Elizabeth decided "to" chase the dragon and get Roland back. She looked everywhere for something "to" wear, but the only thing she could find that was not burnt was a paper bag. So she put on the bag and followed the dragon. He was easy "to" follow, because he left a trail of burnt forests and horses' bones.
Chatgpt "to" is preposition:
In all cases, "to" serves as a preposition introducing an infinitive verb. This use of "to" is very common in English when forming infinitive phrases.
Saylor "to" is not a preposition:
the course treats it as part of the infinitive verb structure rather than a preposition.
Which answer is correct?
Chatgpt:
Both perspectives can be correct, depending on how you define the role of "to" in grammar:
Traditional Grammar Perspective (Preposition):
Many traditional grammar guides categorize "to" as a preposition because it introduces a relationship between words (in this case, the base form of the verb). This view focuses on the function of "to" as linking to the verb that follows.Modern Linguistic Perspective (Infinitive Marker):
Linguists and some educational courses, like the Saylor Academy ESL course, often describe "to" in this context as an infinitive marker rather than a preposition. They argue that "to" with a base verb (e.g., "to marry," "to chase") forms a grammatical unit distinct from its role as a traditional preposition (e.g., "go to the park"). This approach emphasizes the specific role of "to" in infinitive verb structures.