verbs - What's the difference between "I look forward to" and "I'm looking forward to"?


I just don't get the reasoning behind which one is correct in which situation.


Typically I use the wrong one, or I use them when I'm not supposed to.



Answer



If you mean both in the sense of anticipating something, both are equally valid. However 'I look forward' is more formal; it's the kind of thing you would write in an official letter.


A typical example is the closing statement of a cover letter for a job application:



I look forward to hearing from you soon.



'I am looking forward' is less formal. You would rarely say to a friend on the phone 'I look forward to visiting you next week.' You would say:



I'm looking forward to visiting you next week.



I'm not sure why others here have suggested this is wrong. You wouldn't say 'I run towards the train station!', you'd say 'I am running towards the train station!'


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