[Grammar] correct use of for

[marquissun]

Hi,
I am a student at UABC( university of Baja California). I studied most of my school life in the U.S., so I consider I have a good understanting about english grammar. Just recently, in one of my classes, I got into an argument with a classmate about the correct usage of For. She insisted on trying to write the following phrase "she bought for herself a blouse". Well, I tryed to correct her but she would not acept that what I said was right. All my life I've know it to be incorrect to say it this way. Sure you can say She bought a blouse for herself or she bought herself a blouse , but not she bought for herseft , or can you?. Please tell me if I'm wrong or right because this is confusing me.:-?

Sincearcely,
marquissun

 

[BobK]

You can say either, and the version you prefer is much the more common. ;-) Is the friend a native speaker?

b

 

[marquissun]

no she's not. She learned english here in Mexico. She knows how to speak it quite well, but I wouldn't say it's more than 85%.

 

[jerry081958]

I agree with BobK.

 

[BobK]

no she's not. She learned english here in Mexico. She knows how to speak it quite well, but I wouldn't say it's more than 85%.

Aha! Perhaps she's influenced by comprarse.

b

 

[marquissun]

Perhaps, thanks for clearing my doubts!!!

 

[susiedq]

With shopping, anything goes . . . :lol:


Oh, your sister went shopping! What did she buy?

She bought the baby a blanket and a hat for her mother. Then she bought for herself a blouse.

 

[Barb_D]

I agree it's not incorrect, but I don't find it natural at all.

Susie gave one example where it works without sounding awful, but even then, I'd say "a blouse for herself."

 

[TheParser]

Hi,
I am a student at UABC( university of Baja California). I studied most of my school life in the U.S., so I consider I have a good understanting about english grammar. Just recently, in one of my classes, I got into an argument with a classmate about the correct usage of For. She insisted on trying to write the following phrase "she bought for herself a blouse". Well, I tryed to correct her but she would not acept that what I said was right. All my life I've know it to be incorrect to say it this way. Sure you can say She bought a blouse for herself or she bought herself a blouse , but not she bought for herseft , or can you?. Please tell me if I'm wrong or right because this is confusing me.:-?

Sincearcely,
marquissun

NOT A TEACHER

(1) I agree with the other posters that the most natural and most usual

would be "She bought a blouse for herself."

(2) I think, however, that some experts say that a sentence such as

"She bought for herself a blouse" is not "bad" English and that it shows

the person who wrote it (since that order sounds "unnatural" in ordinary

speech) was thinking ahead and deliberately put "for herself" in the

middle of the sentence to emphasize those words. That position certainly

did get our attention, didn't it!!

(3) Couldn't we also say:

For herself, she bought a sweater. (This order might suggest how

selfish or unselfish she was -- depending on what came before that

sentence.)

(4) I think that you are correct in reminding your classmate that

her word order is definitely not the usual one. That is, it is not just a

neutral statement of the facts. If she insists on speaking like that, she

must be prepared for raised eyebrows.

 

[Ahmad Safwat]

Could I say "she bought to herself a blouse" ?

 

[TheParser]

Could I say "she bought to herself a blouse" ?

NOT A TEACHER

I am pretty sure that "everyone" would answer "No."

 

[Ahmad Safwat]

NOT A TEACHER

I am pretty sure that "everyone" would answer "No."

I think it's more suitable that we say she bought herself that means that she was herself on sale lol

buy for , buy for buy for (not buy to , not buy to) bought for bought for

ok I kept it :-D

 

[TheParser]

I think it's more suitable that we say she bought herself that means that she was herself on sale lol

buy for , buy for buy for (not buy to , not buy to) bought for bought for

ok I kept it :-D

NOT A TEACHER

(1) Yes, you are correct.

(2) It does sound funny when native speakers say:

I am going to cook my husband dinner.

=

I am going to cook dinner for my husband.

 

[Barb_D]

Could I say "she bought to herself a blouse" ?

Hi,
No, you can't. You buy things for people, not to people.

 

[BobK]

No! You could, in a very strange context, Say 'She brought to herself...' - but it'd be most unlikely to be a blouse;-)

b

 

[BobK]

I agree it's not incorrect, but I don't find it natural at all.

Susie gave one example where it works without sounding awful, but even then, I'd say "a blouse for herself."

And I'd say '...Then - for herself - she bought a blouse.' Or perhaps '..Then she bought a blouse - for herself, this time'. But I agree that in this context 'bought for herself' is quite possible.

b

 

[Ahmad Safwat]

NOT A TEACHER

(2) It does sound funny when native speakers say:

I am going to cook my husband dinner.

=

I am going to cook dinner for my husband.

Hahaha I cook my husband then a long cough ...diner :lol:

 

[Ahmad Safwat]

Hi,
No, you can't. You buy things for people, not to people.

Hi, yes I got it, like I prey for people not to them.

Thanks.

 

[Ahmad Safwat]

No! You could, in a very strange context, Say 'She brought to herself...' - but it'd be most unlikely to be a blouse;-)

b

That's the right answer :-D

And what the bif differnece between brought and bought?

 

[BobK]

bought - past simple (and past participle) of buy
brought - past simple (and past participle) of bring

b