Question

I will lock the door to prevent/preventing theft will lock the door to prevent/preventing theft

Answer 1

Answer:

prevent / preventing .

Answer 2

I will lock the door to prevent theft.

Explanation.

• When the Verb is only named, we call it Infinitive. "To" sits before the Infinitive. Also remember that the Verb sits in its Present Tense form, no other Conjugation of that verb is used.

• Here we have two options - prevent and preventing.

• Since there is to before them, we choose "prevent" because it is Present Tense form and put aside "preventing" because it is Present Participle of "prevent".

• Take for example: To err is human. To forgive is divine. To write this is not easy.