He is to making (is making)

Many writers insert an extra to before an -ing verb and produce sentences like "He is to making dinner tonight." That combination mixes two incompatible patterns and is ungrammatical in standard English.

Below: the short rule, clear choices for meaning and tone, numerous wrong/right pairs across work, school, and casual contexts, quick rewrites you can paste into your draft, memory tricks, spacing notes, and related pitfalls to watch for.

Quick answer

Don't put to directly before a gerund after a form of be. Use be + -ing (He is making) for ongoing or near-future actions, or be to + base verb (He is to make) for formal/scheduled actions - never be + to + -ing.

"He is to making" is incorrect.
Progressive: "He is making dinner."
Formal/scheduled: "He is to make the announcement." (base verb after "to")

Core grammar: why "He is to making" is wrong

English has two relevant patterns that serve different meanings:

be + -ing = progressive aspect (action in progress or ordinary near future): He is making.
be to + base verb = formal arrangement, order, or scheduled event: He is to make.
They don't combine. If you see be + to + -ing, either drop the to or change -ing to the base verb depending on the meaning you want.

Real usage and tone: pick the one you mean

Choose the progressive for everyday speech, status updates, and most emails. Choose be to + base verb for formal notices, official schedules, or legal phrasing.

Progressive (casual/ongoing): He is making coffee; she is studying the report.
Be to + base verb (formal/scheduled): He is to present the findings at 2 p.m.
When in doubt in ordinary writing, prefer the progressive - it's clearer and more natural.

Examples: common wrong/right pairs

Each wrong sentence shows be + to + -ing; each right sentence gives one or two correct alternatives.

Wrong: He is to making dinner tonight. -
Right: He is making dinner tonight.
Wrong: She is to studying for the exam after class. -
Right: She is studying for the exam after class.
Wrong: They were to playing in the yard when it started to rain. -
Right: They were playing in the yard when it started to rain.
Wrong: I am to fixing the car this weekend. -
Right: I am fixing the car this weekend.
Wrong: He is to running the report now. -
Right: He is running the report now.
Wrong: Anna is to teaching the workshop tomorrow. -
Right: Anna is teaching the workshop tomorrow.
Wrong: The team is to finalizing the budget today. -
Right: The team is finalizing the budget today.
Wrong: My neighbor was to mowing the lawn when I left. -
Right: My neighbor was mowing the lawn when I left.
Wrong: We are to meeting with HR next week. -
Right: We are meeting with HR next week. / We are to meet with HR next week. (formal)
Wrong: She is to cooking for the event. -
Right: She is cooking for the event. / She is to cook for the event. (formal)

Work examples - emails, reports, and meetings

At work you'll usually use the progressive for status updates; reserve be to + base verb for calendar language and formal directives.

Wrong (email): He is to preparing the slide deck. - Right: He is preparing the slide deck.
Formal agenda: He is to present the quarterly results at 10:00. (fits calendar/memo language)
Status update: She's making edits to the client proposal and will upload the version by noon.

School examples - assignments, labs, and presentations

Students and instructors prefer progressive phrasing for ongoing work; the school may use be to in formal announcements.

Wrong (student): I am to finishing the lab report tonight. - Right: I am finishing the lab report tonight.
Teacher note (formal): The guest speaker is to arrive at 1:15.
Group plan: We're making the poster this afternoon; who can print materials?

Casual examples - conversations and texting

In speech and casual text, the progressive is the default. An added to before -ing sounds wrong.

Wrong (text): He's to cooking now, come over later. - Right: He's cooking now, come over later.
Wrong (chat): I'm to watching a movie. - Right: I'm watching a movie.
Friends plan: They're making weekend plans; you should join.

Rewrite help: fix your sentence in three steps

Decision flow and example rewrites you can paste into drafts.

Step 1: Spot be + to + -ing after a form of be (is/are/am/was/were).
Step 2: If you mean ongoing action → remove to (He is making).
Step 3: If you mean a formal schedule/arrangement → change -ing to base verb (He is to make).
Step 4: For conversational future, use is going to or will (He is going to make / He will make).

Example: Wrong: He is to preparing the monthly summary. - Fix (progressive): He is preparing the monthly summary. - Fix (formal): He is to prepare the monthly summary. - Fix (casual future): He will prepare the monthly summary.
Example: Wrong: The speaker is to arriving at noon. - Fix: The speaker is arriving at noon. -
Formal: The speaker is to arrive at noon.
Example: Wrong: The intern is to completing the spreadsheet tomorrow. - Fix (natural): The intern will complete the spreadsheet tomorrow / The intern is completing the spreadsheet tomorrow. - Fix (formal): The intern is to complete the spreadsheet tomorrow.
Email quick swap: change "is to V-ing" → "is V-ing" for status or "is to V" for official language.

Memory tricks, hyphenation, and spacing notes

Mnemonic: Replace the phrase with "He is doing X." If that sounds right, drop the to. If you meant a formal schedule, try "He is to do X."

Typographic note: this is a grammar error, not a hyphenation or spacing problem. Adding hyphens or changing spaces won't fix it.

"Be + ing" = ongoing; "Be to + base verb" = scheduled/formal.
Don't write to-making or to - making to 'fix' this. The correction is grammatical: remove to or use the base verb.
Search tip: look for " to " followed by an -ing word immediately after forms of be (is/are/was/were/am).

Similar mistakes to watch for

Writers who add to before -ing also commonly mix up to vs too, confuse be to with going to, or misuse gerunds and infinitives after other verbs.

To vs too: He is to make dinner (incorrect if you meant "also") vs He is too excited (correct).
Be to vs going to: He is to leave tomorrow (formal) vs He is going to leave tomorrow (colloquial future).
Gerund vs infinitive after verbs: I enjoy making (gerund) vs I hope to make (infinitive).
Wrong: He is to too excited about the trip. -
Right: He is too excited about the trip.

FAQ

Is "He is to making" ever correct?

No. Putting to directly before a gerund after a form of be is not standard. Use He is making (progressive) or He is to make (formal, base verb).

When should I use be to + verb instead of going to?

Use be to + base verb for formal notices, official schedules, or orders (The ambassador is to arrive at noon). Use going to or will for everyday planned futures.

How can I find and fix these quickly in a long document?

Search for patterns like " to making", " to studying", " to finalizing" after is/are/was/were/am. Remove the to or change -ing to the base verb and read the sentence aloud to check tone.

What's the difference between "is making" and "is to make"?

"Is making" describes an action in progress or an ordinary near-future plan. "Is to make" signals a formal schedule or instruction and uses the base verb "make."

Can I use "is to" with other verb forms (past/future)?

Yes. "Was to" can indicate a past scheduled plan (He was to make the announcement). For progressive past/future, use was/were + -ing or will be + -ing as needed.

Want to check a sentence fast?

Find any "to" immediately before an -ing verb after a form of be, decide whether you meant ongoing or formal, then apply a simple rewrite: drop the to, change -ing to the base verb, or switch to is going to/will.

Paste a suspect sentence into a grammar checker to flag be + to + -ing patterns and get context-aware suggestions.