Infinitive of purpose

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you explain me why some of the following sentences (a,b,c and d) are correct, and other (e and f) are wrong.

a) I went to the post office for some stamps.
b) I went to the post office to buy some stamps.
c) I went to the post office because I wanted to buy some stamps.
d) I went to the post office in order to buy some stamps.
e) I went to the post office for to buy some stamps.
f) I went to the post office for buying some stamps.

Thanks in advance.

V.

[riverkid]

Dear teachers,

Would you explain to me why some of the following sentences (a,b,c and d) are correct, and other (e and f) are wrong.

a) I went to the post office for some stamps. "for + noun phrase" is okay; "for something".
b) I went to the post office to buy some stamps. infiinitive of purpose is ok
c) I went to the post office because I wanted to buy some stamps.
Conjunction 'because + sentence explains the reason/the purpose.

d) I went to the post office in order to buy some stamps.

'in order' is also used to explain the reason.

e) I went to the post office for to buy some stamps.

This is nonstandard English.It's sometimes when people want to effect a really casual style of speaking but there's simply no need for both 'for' and 'to',

f) I went to the post office for buying some stamps.

We just don't use ' for + [verb+ing]' to state the purpose/reason.

Thanks in advance.

V.

##

[BobK]

...
e) I went to the post office for to buy some stamps.

rk: This is nonstandard English.It's sometimes when people want to effect a really casual style of speaking but there's simply no need for both 'for' and 'to',

f) I went to the post office for buying some stamps.

rk: We just don't use ' for + [verb+ing]' to state the purpose/reason.

e is non-standard now, but used to be common. It survives as an option in many dialects, and often appears in folk songs.

f is not used to express purpose, but appears in uses like this:

On Sundays, some shops in the UK are open from 11.00 a.m.; but their doors open at 10.30 for browsing only.

There is an idea of purpose there I suppose, but the "for + [verb+ing]" is an explanation of purpose (rather than an expression of purpose).

[ I don't know what made me choose that colour.]

b

[vil]

Hi Riverkid,

Thank you for your detail explanation. Thank you also for your telling emendation. Usually I realize necessity of "to" as in: "he explained to us that examination would take place later" or "she explained the problem to me"; From other hand I remember "to explain satisfactorily", or "he explained why he was late" "give me" , "listen me". There is also a "to" but it is hidden. The latter usage sounds more acceptable to my mind. I hope you got my meaning rightly?

I will remember your correction.

Thank you again.

V.

[vil]

Hi BobK,

Thank you for your unimpeachable explanation and extraordinary further information referring non-standard usage, as well as for your elucidation of the subtle difference between the both usages respectively for "explanation of purpose" and "expression of purpose".

When I see pink color I recall in my mind the imagination of " the pink elephant".

The themas "The pink elephant" has a little philosophical charge.

I have heart "pink elephant" in two separate context.

In the first context the animated character Dumlo (from he Disney movie) saw pink elephant he got drunk. Seeing pink elephant is a euphemism fo drunken hallucination caused by delirium tremens (An acute, sometimes fatal episode of delirium usually caused by withdrawal or abstinence from alcohol following habitual excessive drinking. It also may occur during an episode of heavy alcohol consumption)
Jack London, describing one sort of character used also this term as in: who sees in the extremity of his ecstasy blue mice and pink elephants; He is the type that gives rise to the jokes, in the funny papers.
In the second context the term "pink elephant" was used to describe something obviously that nobody wants to talk aloud.

In business communication when things are going in the wrong direction and the cause is embarrassing or uncomfortable, it can be very difficult to be the first person to speak up. In those cases, when everyone know that there is a problem but nobody will speak about it. He probably might be called 'A pink elephant in the room". Someone trying to raise the topic might say. "Now, let's talk about the big pink elephant that everybody know about and fix this before it gets any worse!"

It is your turn now Bob. You have to ponder a little over my words.
Maybe you are this person who have saw the problem and might wanted to
to raise the topic using the pink color.

V.