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The first sentence on this page: https://www.wired.com/2015/02/powerspy-phone-tracking/ says SMARTPHONE USERS MIGHT balk at letting a random app like Candy Crush or Shazam track their every move via GPS., now I wonder why there is no to before the word track, e.g.: SMARTPHONE USERS MIGHT balk at letting a random app like Candy Crush or Shazam to track their every move via GPS. Could you someone please clarify if adding to before the word track is still correct English? If that is wrong, could someone help me understand why?

Thanks!

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  • In the example you cite, "to" is incorrect for the reasons stated in the answer you have been given.
    – ohwilleke
    Commented Nov 12, 2016 at 7:13
  • @Hi ohwilleke, thanks for the answer. Could you please clarify why it is wrong? Also, about in the answer you have been given, I haven't given an answer actually :)
    – user1764381
    Commented Nov 12, 2016 at 7:15
  • I mean the answer from Sahil Agarwal who accurately notes that the word "to" is not used for subjects but is used for objects.
    – ohwilleke
    Commented Nov 12, 2016 at 7:45
  • By the way @ohwilleke, I also commented on Sahil Agarwal's answer, could you also please take a look? Thanks!
    – user1764381
    Commented Nov 15, 2016 at 14:50
  • @ohwilleke, by the way, you mentioned "to" is not used for subjects but is used for objects, does that mean that the sentence has two subjects? SMARTPHONE USERS and random app like Candy Crush or Shazam?
    – user1764381
    Commented Nov 16, 2016 at 6:17

1 Answer 1

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Track is a verb.

I track his activity. Spiderman tracked the villain. Apps track location.

Using to with track is possible.

I love to track his activity. Apps to track location.

In "Apps track location", app is the doer. It means "apps are tracking location".

In "Apps to track location" app is an object. It means "app is being used to track location".

Same difference in "I track his activity" and "I love to track his activity".

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  • Hi @Sahil, thanks for your answer. I have a question. Am I right that letting a random app like Candy Crush or Shazam track their every move via GPS is a gerund phrase? If so, could you please clarify what parts of speech letting and track are? Thanks!
    – user1764381
    Commented Nov 15, 2016 at 14:35

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