[Grammar] Teach someone or teach to someone?

[HanaeMori]

I've recently been told by a British person that teach to someone is the correct way to say it in English. I'm familiar with American English and this structure sounds weird to me so I'd like to clarify if he's correct since I'm writing an important paper that I'll send to the UK.


Any help will be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Rover_KE]

It depends on the context. 'Teach' is usually used with a direct or indirect object.

These are correct:

I teach English to ESL students.
I teach ESL students English.
He teaches me the violin.
He teaches me to play the violin.

It can also be used intransitively:

'What do you do for a living?'
'I teach.'

 

[tedmc]

OP asked whether "teach to someone" is correct, not "teach something to someone". The former(amended) is of course not correct.
It would be clearer if OP gives us a specific sentence.

 

[tzfujimino]

The latter is correct, ted.
:-D
(I'm sure you meant it is.)

 

[Matthew Wai]

I've recently been told by a British person that teach to someone is the correct way to say it in English.

I think s/he actually meant 'teach something to someone', but I am not a teacher.

 

[Tdol]

I've recently been told by a British person that teach to someone is the correct way to say it in English. I'm familiar with American English and this structure sounds weird to me so I'd like to clarify if he's correct since I'm writing an important paper that I'll send to the UK.

It doesn't sound correct to me as you have given it, and I am a British English speaker. Could you give us the sentence it will appear in?