Mastering the Tricky Prepositions in English: Part 2 – to and for (Advanced)

 

Prepositions in English Part 2

When not to use “to”

Sometimes sentences don’t need a preposition even though it might seem like they demand it. Sometimes using a preposition is optional, but other times it should never be added.

When is “to” optional

“To” is mostly only used if there are two people/ things in the interaction: one that receives the action and one that does the action or two people/ things that are related to each other in some way. Unless to is part of an infinitive.

 

Example 1: I will send a letter to my grandmother.

In this example there are two people: one that sends the letter (me) and one that receives it (my grandmother.) Because of this we do use the word “to.”

 

Example 2: I will send a letter.

“In this sentence, we don’t know where the letter is going. Because there is no second person receiving the action we don’t use the word “to.”

 

Examples of words that follow this rule:

give, send, explain, write, show, lend

 

Using “to” with Reported Speech

Whether or not you use “to” can also depend on if you use direct or reported speech.

 

Example 1 direct speech: She said, “Tell Billy he should wash the dishes.”

This speech is written exactly as it was said. Because of this the sentence does not get a “to.”

 

Example 2 reported speech: She said to go wash the dishes.

In this sentence, the speaker only roughly tells you what was said. Because of this the word to can be used.

 

Reported speech doesn’t always require the word to either. There are alternative ways of saying the same thing.

 

Example 3: She said that you should go wash the dishes.

This means the same thing as the previous example, but the word “to” is replaced with the word that.

 

Example 4: She said you should wash the dishes.

You can even get rid of the preposition entirely when using reported speech like in this example.

 

Examples of words that follow this rule:

Said, asked, told, instructed, whispered, admitted, confessed

 

When “to” works a bit differently

Usually, the person/ thing the action is done to is used after the word to, but there are some verbs where things are done differently.

 

With some verbs the word “to” is only used after the person/ things upon which the action is done if “to” is used at all.

 

Example 1: I tell you to go outside for once.

In this example, “to” comes after the thing the action is done upon (you) unlike in most sentences. This is because the verb tell is used.

 

Example 2: I tell you go outside for once.

This example shows that the word “to” is optional in this instance.

 

Examples of words that follow this rule:

tell, ask, teach, cost, answer

Exercise

Fill the black space with the preposition “to” or “for” in order to complete the sentence. Or leave the space blank if neither “to” nor “for” should be used.

1.       I will explain         you how this works.

2.       She gave the book           her brother.

3.       I will do it              you.

4.       Can you pass this             me?

5.       He whispered              her during the movie.

6.       I have been standing here              twenty minutes.

7.       I told him             stop talking.

8.       I will email the teacher           my excuses.

9.       They showed the photo            everyone in the class.

Exercise answers

1.  I will explain to you how this works.

2.  She gave the book to her brother.

3.  I will do it for you.

4.  Can you pass this to me?

5.  He whispered to her during the movie.

6.  I have been standing here for twenty minutes.

7.  I told him to stop talking.

8.  I will email the teacher my excuses.

9.  They showed the photo to everyone in the class.

Click the following link to go to the next lesson:      

Mastering the Tricky Prepositions in English: Part 3 – In and On

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