For someone / to someone

[Kumi]

Hello,

I have a problem how to use for / to + someone correctly in English sentences.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A. It's very important for students to study English every day.

B. It's important for doctors to know that what patients need.

C. It's important to me that he reads my novels.

Those sentences are all from dictionaries.

I'd like to know if I can use 'for' with the example C as a replacement of 'to.'

Teachers, could you please tell me how I should choose 'to' and 'for' correctly.... ? I mean, how to use them to make sense?

Many thanks in advance. :wink:

Kumi

[Alan]

Hi,

All I can say is that generally (and that means NOT in all cases) 'to' is direct and personal and 'for' is on behalf of. In the sentence: I don't like what you have done to me , means what you have done personally directly to me but I don't like what you have done for me, means what you have done in order to help/please me in the sense of on my behalf.

Hope this helps

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Kumi]

Hello Alan,

Thank you very much for your reply.
I think I understand the general idea of them.

Let me ask you one more question about it.

C. It's important to me that he reads my novels.

If I substitute "for" for "to", does the sentence still make sense for you?

e.g. It's important for me that he reads my novels.
If I mean to say the fact he reads my novels will make me really pleased or happy..... does this sentence work? Or, does it gramatically incorrect? (I'm afraid it could be very odd.....)
I'm sorry for asking again, but I look forward to your reply.

Many thanks in advance.

Kumi

[Alan]

Hi,

Again I can only repeat that 'for' is less direct and 'to' is personal and direct. Yes, it is possible to use 'for' in your sentence and the meaning suggests 'as far as I am concerned'. And in your question I would say: 'does it still make sense TO you?'

Alan
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms

[Piroska]

and what are differences betveen these:
I think to you,

I think of you

I think about you,

you think to me - esp now,

you think for me (every year on
my birthday)

- and (on) or (in) my birthday?

[Dozy]

"I think to you" is incorrect.

"I think of you" and "I think about you" are OK and mean pretty much the same.

"you think to me" is incorrect.

"you think for me" is correct English but means something completely different. It means "you think (make decisions, analyse problems etc.) so that I don't have to"

"on my birthday" is correct.

[Piroska]

Thank you Dozy,

so
thanks for think of me on my birthday.

and

I think for going by bus.
?
I think this is a good opportunity for solving this problem.

[Dozy]

"Thanks for thinking of me on my birthday."

"I think for going by bus" doesn't make sense, and it's not clear what you are trying to say.

I would say "...good opportunity to solve this problem".

[Piroska]

I googled for think for
and the answer is _think for yourself_ by Beatles.
- I think I have understood the difference betveen think of and think for.

:
the homesick is tinking of (the) his-her home,

and

he had tought for his future, when he enrolled to that course.
-

[Dozy]

"homesick" cannot be a singular noun. You can say "the homesick child/woman/traveller/whatever is thinking of his/her home". However, this sentence feels a bit pointless because the word "homesick" already means that you are thinking of home.

As far as your second sentence is concerned, this seems more likely:

"He was thinking of his future when he enrolled on that course."

The sentence does not need a comma.

Sentences begin with a capital letter.

[Piroska]

Thank you!