When to use "to" and "for"

[Fitness Lover]

Originally Posted by JSmiley

Hope that helps. This stuff is really hard even for teachers to explain, and any rule I give may well break down. Try practicing with some simple ones:

I bought a present ______ my wife.
I brought a present ______ my wife.
I stopped ______ coffee.
I stopped ______ drink coffee.
Here, I am giving it ____ you.
Here, I was saving it ____ you.
What did you say that ____!?
Who did you say that ____!?

hth

Dear JSmiley,
I tried to solve your questions, I hope they are correct:

I bought a present ___for___ my wife.
I brought a present ___to___ my wife.
I stopped ___for___ coffee.
I stopped _____to_ drink coffee.
Here, I am giving it __to__ you.
Here, I was saving it __for__ you.
What did you say that __for__!?
Who did you say that __to__!?



Best Regards
Fitness Lover

[Tdol]

They are.

[JSmiley]

I posted the examples ______ help!
You did better than I could have wished ____.

My wife just came up with a tough one:

1] What did you ask him that question ____?
2] What question did you ask ____ him?

<hint! number 2 is a trick question!!>

[Fitness Lover]

Thanks again for the additional examples.


the following is the solution of what I think it is correct:

Originally Posted by JSmiley

I posted the examples ___both ('to' or 'for') are correct___ help!
You did better than I could have wished __to__.

My wife just came up with a tough one:

1] What did you ask him that question __for__?
2] What question did you ask __to (but meaning is different than No. 1)__ him?

Best Regards
Fitness Lover