To 定 For?揀錯一個 preposition 成句嘢就變晒意思

「I bought a gift to my sister.」心意好窩心。英文就有少少錯。而要 fix 佢淨係一個字母嘅事。喺英文入面所有會搞到意思唔同嘅小 swap 之中,to / for 呢一對可能係最 sneaky 嘅,因為兩句聽落幾乎一模一樣,兩句又聽落幾乎啱。幾乎啫。

快速答案

To 指住一個目的地、一個方向,又或者郁動嘅 receiving end 嗰個人。For 指住一個目的、一個 benefit,又或者一件事持續幾耐。如果樣嘢 正在向住 某個目標移動,通常想用 to。如果樣嘢 因為某人而做,或者 為咗某人嘅好處,通常想用 for。

簡單規則

To = 移動、方向、目的地、收件人。當佢係一支箭。
For = 目的、原因、受惠人、duration。當佢係一張 label 寫住「this is meant for X」。

Preposition 周圍嗰啲動詞做緊大部分工作。有啲動詞天然配 to(give、send、go、talk、write)。有啲天然配 for(buy、make、work、wait、save、vote)。當同一個動詞兩個 preposition 都食得落,意思就會變,而呢度就有趣嘞。

真實例句

方向同目的地(to)

I'm flying to Paris next week.
She walked to the window.
Send the report to Maria, please.
He whispered something to the dog.

目的、benefit、duration(for)

I bought this scarf for my mom.
We're saving for a house.
She works for a small design studio.
I've been waiting for twenty minutes.

會 flip 意思嘅句子配對

「I leave to Paris tomorrow.」 → 錯;你想講「I leave for Paris tomorrow」(你嘅目的地係巴黎)或者「I'm going to Paris tomorrow」。
「She made a cake to her son.」 vs 「She made a cake for her son.」 → 淨係第二句 work。For 表示個蛋糕係為咗佢個仔嚟整。
「Can you say that to me again?」 vs 「Can you say that for me again?」 → 兩句文法都啱,但意思唔同。第一句意思係:將啲說話 direct 向我。第二句意思係:幫我手,再講多次。
「He's running to the bus.」 vs 「He's running for the bus.」 → 第一句講方向(佢向住架巴士跑)。第二句講目的(佢追緊架巴士,想趕喺佢開走之前上到車)。

留意最後嗰對。Native speaker 即刻感受到分別。捉到呢個分別,就係「correct English」同「natural English」嘅分水嶺。

常見錯誤

「I gave a present for my brother.」 → 「I gave a present to my brother.」 · Give 將件物件直接 transfer 畀收件人,所以用 to。
「I bought a present to my brother.」 → 「I bought a present for my brother.」 · Buy 強調邊個受惠,所以用 for。
「I've lived here since three years.」 → 「I've lived here for three years.」 · Duration 用 for,唔用 to 或者 since。
「Thanks to your help yesterday.」 → 「Thanks for your help yesterday.」 · 多謝係指住原因,所以用 for。
「She's looking to a new job.」 → 「She's looking for a new job.」 · Look for 係搵嘢;look to 會係轉向某人尋求指引。
「I'll explain you the rule.」 → 「I'll explain the rule to you.」 · Explain 永遠要 to 喺聽者前面,絕對唔可以接 direct second object。

考試陷阱

TOEIC、GRE 或者一般文法 check 嘅 sentence completion,出題嘅人好鍾意用一啲可以配兩個 preposition 但喺特定 context 入面只係一個啱嘅動詞。典型嘅 trap 係:「The company sent the prototype ___ the engineering team in Berlin for evaluation.」你之前 read 過個「evaluation」字,可能會令你個腦 reach for for,但個動詞 send 係要 to —— Berlin 係目的地。第二個 for 已經喺後面做緊 purpose-work。TOEFL 同 IELTS 嘅閱讀題喺長句裏面玩類似嘅嘢,目的地嗰個名詞匿到離動詞好遠。解決方法係:先搵到主動詞,然後決定佢表達緊 motion-toward(to)定 benefit-or-purpose(for),其他啲 ignore 佢。

小測試

Could you pass the salt _____ me, please?
I've been studying English _____ five years.
She's working _____ a non-profit in Berlin.
He sent a postcard _____ his grandmother.
We're driving _____ the coast this weekend.

答案

to —— Pass 將件物件 direct 去收件人。
for —— Duration 永遠用 for。
for —— Work for 指出僱主或者受惠者。
to —— Send 將物件指住目的地 / 收件人。
to —— Drive + 目的地用 to。(「Driving for the coast」會解作朝住嗰個方向但冇固定目的地,好罕有又詩意。)

一句總結

用 to 嘅時候...	用 for 嘅時候...
樣嘢移向一個地方	樣嘢令某人受惠
樣嘢畀咗一個收件人	樣嘢有目的或者原因
你 go、send、write、talk、give	你 buy、make、work、save、wait
你可以畫一支箭 →	你可以寫一張 label「meant for X」

決定動詞真係做緊乜 —— 指住一個 target,定係 name 一個受惠人 —— 啱嘅 preposition 通常自己會跳出嚟。