Past Tense Verb Issue

English grammar questions, answered by Alan

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abfrdjska
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Past Tense Verb Issue

Post by abfrdjska »

Someone took some photos of a student and the student said, "Thank you for took the photos."
I know that they should have said, 'Thank you for taking the photos." However, I do not know how to explain why they spoke incorrectly. They used the past tense verb 'took' and I can understand this. But how do I explain that they should have said,
'Thank you for taking the photos" when there is no past tense verb in this sentense.
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Alan
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Re: Past Tense Verb Issue

Post by Alan »

A preposition (for) cannot be followed by a finite verb form (took).
The gerund 'taking' is the only possible form here.
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