To do VS for doing

Question

For example, a lesson/class/book to study English and a lesson/class/book for studying English --- How are they differ?  Kind answer would be appreciated.

Dimsumexpress · Accepted Answer

Anon,
For future reference, I suggest that you form the question with tangible contexts so that we can help you more precisely.

Anonymous a lesson/class/book to study English and a lesson/class/book for studying English

What you have here is not a tangilbe and sensible sentence.

As far as using infinitve and present participle is concerned, it's more complicated than a few explantions. The difference depends on the contexts.

For instance:

I love to dance / dancing- either one is acceptable
I really want to quit smoking - Only infinitive is grammatical.
Everything he did, he did it to impress you - not "for impressing you".

Fandorin · Answer

There are similar in meaning. Both express purpose.

___

1) For can be used to talk about somebody's purpose in doing something, but only when it is followed by a noun.

We stopped at the station for snacks.

2) "For" is not used to before a verb in this sense. Use "to" instead when describing someone's purpose.

We stopped at the hotel to sleep. Not (...for sleeping)

3) "For" can be used to express a purpose of a thing especially when the thing is a subject.

Is this car for selling or just a prototype?

4) When the subject is a person, we normaly have to use "to" infinitive.

People use cell phones to keep in touch and solve their business objectives.

5) "For" and "-ing" can also be used while expressing positive or negative reaction to some events or behaviour that has been a cause.

We relly appreciate for sorting this mess out.

Dimsumexpress · Answer

Just a passing comment on the sample sentences, for whatever it is worth......

We stopped at the station for snacks. This is fine but it's not the present participle form.

2) "For" is not used to before a verb in this sense. Use "to" instead when describing someone's purpose.

We stopped at the hotel to sleep. Not (...for sleeping) - this is not quite idiomatic. Perhaps, we stopped at a hotel to get some rest.

3) "For" can be used to express a purpose of a thing especially when the thing is a subject.

Is this car for selling or just a prototype? Is this car for sale? " Selling " is not natural English.

4) When the subject is a person, we normaly have to use "to" infinitive. - It is not always true, although the sample sentence is good. Consider this: John is fired for stealing company property.

People use cell phones to keep in touch and solve their business objectives.

Fandorin · Answer

dimsumexpressJust a passing comment on the sample sentences, for whatever it is worth..
We stopped at the station for snacks. This is fine but it's not the present participle form.

Since there is no specific indication of asking about Present Tense, I will let it pass.

2) "For" is not used to before a verb in this sense. Use "to" instead when describing someone's purpose.
We stopped at the hotel to sleep. Not (...for sleeping) - this is not quite idiomatic. Perhaps, we stopped at a hotel to get some rest.

Perhaps, but the sole purpose is to indicate an acceptable behaviour of the rule quiestioned.

3) "For" can be used to express a purpose of a thing especially when the thing is a subject. Is this car for selling or just a prototype? Is this car for sale? " Selling " is not natural English.

You may have a point here, but, again, everything is for the sake of the example.

"There is a need and demand for selling used cars". This will justify the rule better.

It is not always true, although the sample sentence is good. Consider this: John is fired for stealing company property.

This is fine but we were talking about purposes with "for" and "to" therefore I think your sentence is quite out of place. And of course there is no question of substituting ""for" for "to" in your very example.

Well, all questions can be kindly forwarded to Mark Swan because I took it from his book.

Tanit · Answer

Fandorinll questions can be kindly forwarded to Mark Swan because I took it from his book.

Hi,

Is he Michael Swan's (lesser-known) brother?

Fandorin · Answer

<img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/2.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/2.gif' alt='Emotion: big smile'/> You know, it nibbled me. I felt I had posted something wrong subconsciously when I was on my way home.

To do VS for doing

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions