When to use 'to' and 'for'.

As a teacher of the English language I often come across what i like to call 'common difficulties'. These are difficulties I have noticed that most learners have in common when trying to push through the upper intermediate barrier.

One of these difficulties is when to use 'to' and 'for' in a sentence.

So, lets have a look at the correct way to use these tricky prepositions.

When to use 'TO':

Use 'to' when there is some kind of transfer happening or when something is being moved from one place to another. 'To' expresses direction.

Here are a few examples:

- We went from the bar to the party.

- I go to the office everyday at 9am.

- Talk to your teacher to learn more about English grammar.

When to use 'For':

Use 'for' when something is being done to benefit something or someone else. We also us 'for' when you want to express the purpose or reason that something is happening.

Here are a few examples:

- I bought this gift for you.

- He runs for his health.

- Bring this tea upstairs for your grandmother.

Now let's compare both:

- My friend brought lunch to me - (My friend physically carried the lunch to me)

- My friend bought lunch for me - (My friend paid for my lunch as they wanted to treat me)

- I made a phone call to my mom - (I called with the intention of speaking with my mother)

- I made a phone call for my mom - (My mom wasn't able to make the call so I made the call for her)

For most learners prepositions can be a difficult part of the language to understand. I hope these examples help to clear up any misunderstanding of when to use 'to' and 'for' in sentences.

Andrew