differences - Rule for using "for" vs. "to"


A Brazilian friend speaks English very well, but has a very unique habit: it seems often that she needs to use "for" but she instead uses "to", and vice-versa.


For instance:



The present is to Thomas. (should be "for")


Say hello for your wife. (should be "to")



I have tried looking in the dictionary to specifically determine which definitions she's confusing, and it seems that she's mixing up using "to" as a consequence and "for" to indicate a purpose.


How can I help her find a way of remembering to use them correctly?


Edit: We recently ran into a better example:



You started working on a fix to that problem. (should be "for")




Answer



One possibility, understanding that prepositions have very slippery and often idiosyncratic meanings ... have her think of to as indicating a destination:


I sent the present to him.


I gave the present to her.


Whereas for can indicate or "for the good of":


I did it for her.


The present is for him.


Do you think this might help? Note that we're likely to find many cases where these simplistic definitions don't work, alas.


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