B1 Lesson 16: To, From & For

WARM UP

Think about movement, purpose, and communication.

• Where are you from?
• Who do you usually send messages to?
• What do you use English for?
• Have you ever travelled from one country to another for work or study?
• Which preposition is more difficult for you: from, to, or for? Why?

Answer in full sentences.

VOCABULARY – PREPOSITIONS

• from – desde / de / origen
Example: I’m from Spain.

• to – a / hacia / para
Example: We travelled to London.

• for – para / durante / destinado a
Example: This gift is for you.

Say each preposition out loud.
Notice how the meaning changes depending on the context.

GRAMMAR – FROM vs TO vs FOR

These prepositions are very common and often confusing for Spanish speakers because English uses them differently.

FROM – ORIGIN / STARTING POINT

We use from to show:

• Origin
• Starting point
• Source

Examples

• I’m from Madrid.
• This train goes from Seville to Málaga.
• I received an email from my manager.
• She borrowed money from her friend.

Common Verbs with FROM

• hear from
• come from
• recover from
• protect from
• suffer from

Examples

• I heard from my teacher yesterday.
• He comes from a small town.
• She recovered from the illness quickly.
• Sunscreen protects your skin from the sun.
• Many people suffer from stress.

TO – DIRECTION / PURPOSE / INFINITIVE

We use to to show:

• Direction
• Movement
• Connection
• Purpose with infinitive verbs

Examples – Direction

• We went to the cinema.
• She walked to work.
• I gave the book to my friend.

Examples – Infinitive Purpose

• I study English to improve my career.
• She exercises to stay healthy.
• We went outside to relax.

Common Verbs with TO

• speak to
• listen to
• belong to
• respond to
• invite someone to

Examples

• I spoke to my colleague yesterday.
• She listens to music every evening.
• This bag belongs to me.
• He responded to the email quickly.
• They invited us to the party.

FOR – DESTINATION / BENEFIT / PURPOSE

We use for to show:

• Benefit
• Destination
• Purpose of an object
• Duration
• Reason

Examples – Benefit

• This present is for you.
• I bought flowers for my mother.

Examples – Purpose

• This tool is for cutting wood.
• Glasses are for helping people see better.
• This app is for learning languages.

Examples – Duration

• I studied for three hours.
• We stayed there for a week.

Examples – Reason

• He apologised for being late.
• She thanked me for the help.

Common Verbs with FOR

• apply for
• pay for
• wait for
• look for
• apologise for

Examples

• She applied for a new job.
• I paid for dinner.
• We waited for the bus.
• He is looking for his keys.
• They apologised for the mistake.

COMMON MISTAKES FOR SPANISH SPEAKERS

❌ Explain me
✅ Explain it to me

❌ Married with
✅ Married to

❌ Depend of
✅ Depend on

❌ Ask for to help
✅ Ask for help
✅ Ask someone to help

❌ I went for Madrid
✅ I went to Madrid

❌ This is made from plastic?
✅ This is made of plastic
(physical material still visible)

✅ This wine is made from grapes
(original material transformed)

DIALOGUE – TRAVEL & WORK

Anna: Where are you from originally?

Mark: I’m from Valencia, but I moved to Barcelona for work.

Anna: What do you use English for at work?

Mark: I need it to speak to international clients.

Anna: Have you heard from your manager today?

Mark: Yes, he responded to my report this morning.

Read again and practise.

SHORT ARTICLE

Many Spanish speakers find prepositions difficult because English uses them differently. For example, people travel from one place to another, but they often travel somewhere for a reason such as work or study. Many students learn English to improve their careers and apply for better jobs. Professionals also need English to speak to international clients and respond to emails. Some learners struggle with expressions like “listen to,” “wait for,” or “hear from,” because the Spanish structure is different. However, with enough practice, these prepositions become more natural.

Read the article twice. Focus on the different uses of from, to, and for.

LANGUAGE SUPPORT

Using from

• come from Spain
• hear from a friend
• recover from illness

Using to

• go to work
• listen to music
• study English to travel

Using for

• wait for the bus
• apply for a job
• buy something for someone

Full sentence model

• I moved from Spain to Ireland for work.

PERSONAL QUESTIONS

Answer in full sentences.

• Where are you from originally?
• What do you use English for?
• Have you ever travelled from one country to another?
• Who do you usually speak to every day?
• What kinds of things do you pay for online?
• Have you ever applied for an important job?
• What do people use smartphones for most often?
• Who do you usually hear from during the week?
• What activities help protect people from stress?
• What are you learning English to achieve?

HOMEWORK (WRITE & RECORD)

Writing

Write 12 sentences:

• 4 sentences with from
• 4 sentences with to
• 4 sentences with for

Use at least 8 different verb combinations from the lesson.

Recording

Read your sentences aloud clearly.
Focus on pronunciation and noticing the differences between from, to, and for.