How To Differentiate Between 'TO' And 'FOR' (in English sentences)

My Dear Daughter,

Being a daughter to an English lecturer and a wife to an English speaking husband, I should be ashamed of my poor (English) grammar. I remember writing somewhat acceptable English when I used to read up to two new books a week until recently (now I choose to spend time reading up on attachment parenting or colourful storybooks to you, my sweet angel) and I realized, words, even on simple prepositions don't come to me as easy as when I was reading a lot.

This is another reason I started this blog, for me to write more and construct better statements instead of just posting photos and silly sentences like what I did in my own domain blog. It is a good reminder for me to read more (books) when I feel that I can't even spell write right.

It felt like a big slap in the face for me when I actually can't find the answer (without resorting to Google) of whether I should title this blog:
TIPS TO MY DAUGHTER, or
TIPS FOR MY DAUGHTER.

Either way, it sounded like I was leaving you tips as if you were a waitress.

I was nervous. It was a big deal for me. Say this blog is still available online until you become (who knows) a world famous author, I know you won't forgive me if the title of the blog I made for you was already grammatically incorrect.

And to forbid you from further resenting me in the future, I made some research and in summary, this is what I learned.

We should use 'TO' to express:

1. destination
Example: We’re going to Canada.
2. before (in time)
Example: It’s a quarter to 7.
3. until
 Example: We’ll be at the yoga studio from 9 to 12.
4. comparison 
Example: She prefers reading to painting.
5. receiver 
Example: I gave that shirt as a Christmas present to Daddy.

and we should us 'FOR' to express:

1. intended to belong to
Example: This letter is for you.
2. length of time
Example: Daddy has lived in Malaysia for 13 years.
3. an arrangement 
Example: I have made reservation for a table of four.
4. in favour of 
Example: Are you for or against eggs for breakfast?
5. reason
Example: What did you do that for?
6. purpose ( + noun)
Example: Let’s go out for a meal.
7. movement towards
Example: They left for Hong Kong yesterday.
8. on behalf of (to help somebody)
Example: Could you please leave a message for me?

 

Home, Subang (November 2013)

I hope you would inherit perfect usage of English language from both your grandmothers (although their mother tongues are actually Malay and French).

I hope you would read lots and lots of books.
And keep a journal.
And play Scrabble.

Love and light,

Use TO in these cases:

1. Destination
   “We’re going to Paris.”
2. What time it is
   “It’s a quarter to 2.”
3. Distance
   “It’s about ten miles from my house to the university.”
4. Comparing
   “I prefer sleeping to working.”
5. Giving
   “I gave the book to my sister.”
6. Motive/Reason – with verb
   “I came here to see you.”

Use FOR in these cases:

1. Benefits
   “Yogurt is good for your digestion.”
2. Period of time
   “We’ve lived here for 2 years.”
3. Schedule
   “I made an appointment for May 3.”
4. Agree with 
   “Are you for or against the development of nuclear weapons?”
5. Doing something to help someone
   “Could you carry these books for me?”
6. Motive/Reason – with noun
   “Let’s go out for a drink.”
7. Function – with verb (-ing form)
   “A ladle is a big spoon used for serving soup.”

- See more at: http://www.espressoenglish.net/difference-between-to-and-for/#sthash.XMaT3Lhg.dpuf

Your Mother

1. Destination
   “We’re going to Paris.”
2. What time it is
   “It’s a quarter to 2.”
3. Distance
   “It’s about ten miles from my house to the university.”
4. Comparing
   “I prefer sleeping to working.”
5. Giving
   “I gave the book to my sister.”
6. Motive/Reason – with verb
   “I came here to see you.”

Use FOR in these cases:

1. Benefits
   “Yogurt is good for your digestion.”
2. Period of time
   “We’ve lived here for 2 years.”
3. Schedule
   “I made an appointment for May 3.”
4. Agree with 
   “Are you for or against the development of nuclear weapons?”
5. Doing something to help someone
   “Could you carry these books for me?”
6. Motive/Reason – with noun
   “Let’s go out for a drink.”
7. Function – with verb (-ing form)
   “A ladle is a big spoon used for serving soup.”

- See more at: http://www.espressoenglish.net/difference-between-to-and-for/#sthash.XMaT3Lhg.dpuf

How To Choose Between Blogpost And Wordpress For Your Blog

My Dear Daughter,

I have had three published personal blogs before this one, two of them - had me making some money from advertorials because I used to have quite a number of visitors back in the days.

Just hours ago, I had an epiphany and spontaneously made up my mind to publish an entirely new one - on Blogspot, with you, my darling daughter in mind, for the reasons you shall find below.

My first two blogs (my very first blog was first published in 2004 and the second one in 2005) were hosted on Blogspot (blogger.com). Free and easy. Everyone else was using it. And even Postsecret was on it.

I had been blogging at the second blog for a good four years until I felt the need to have my own domain - at that time (in 2009), also to mark a sense of professionalism in a business I was a big part of.

That was when I ventured on fiddling with Wordpress. And how I was impressed and fell in love at first post! EVERYTHING on Wordpress was user-friendly, more efficient, faster, better layout template altogether and my biggest favourite and most apparent pluspoint that I did not get from Blogger was - Wordpress enabled me to tally, which comment was for which post (it might sound silly for many but trust me, when you had written hundreds of blog posts and somehow there are still people commenting for a post which you felt was written three years ago and had no time intention to rummage that far back just to reply a 'thank you for your time writing' - it would be very helpful).

The only downside to Wordpress back in 2009 was (disclaimer, the past paragraph and this one are written on my personal memory base and not up-to-date with what Wordpress and Blogger might be offering today), unless you were using a paid Wordpress, then cool mandatory features like (actually I only remember this one feature) enabling a YouTube embedded code was / is not allowed.

But of course that didn't deter me from getting my longest running blog hosted on Wordpress as I was going to pay for my own domain and storage space at Wordpress anyway.

And then you might ask me, 'If Wordpress was that good, then why the switch to Blogspot again, dear Mother?'

It happened twice within the almost five good years I had on the Wordpress / own domain blog where my webmaster forgot to update me on renewing my domain or hosting fee on Wordpress and I ended up with a 'server not found' page for weeks (web techies do go for beach holidays too, so I learnt..) and a dozen of emails with another tens of tweets from people who would sometime frequent my blog (I'm trying to refrain myself from using the words 'my blog readers') reminding me of something I do NOT not know.

And you know, my dear daughter, as much as I have been taking really good care of my health, eating clean, oil pulling, daily stretching (ahemm..), I guess I'll never know REALLY how long more I have in this body.

 

Home, Subang (November 2013)

I really want to be able to leave you my online imprints that hopefully, wouldn't have to (ever!) be renewed and paid just so that you could read and share my silly tips of how to's - that might never make it to pens and papers (scrapbooks are beyond awesome but they cost too much time and money and you can't even insert YouTube videos in them).

Oh Blogger, we pray that blogging for cheapskates is here to stay..

P.S. After publishing this post, I clicked to the above link to revisit Postsecret after a couple of years and guess what - even they have moved on to Wordpress! Oh, the irony..

Much love and light,
Your Mother