TO


Meaning of TO in English

We say 'go/come/travel (etc.) ~ a place or event'.

For example:

go ~ America/ come ~ England/ return ~ Italy/ fly ~ Moscow/ walk ~ work/ drive ~ the airport/ go ~ the bank/ go ~ a party/ go ~ a concert/ be sent ~ prison/ be taken ~ hospital/ go ~ bed

We say get ~ (but arrive in/at ):

- What time did you get ~ London/work /the party.

We say 'been ~ a place' = I have visited a place; I went there but now I have come back:

- Have you ever been ~ Japan ?

- I've been ~ Rome four times.

- Ann has never been ~ a football match in her life.

- Jack has got plenty of money. He has just been ~ the bank.

Damage '~' something:

- The accident was my fault, so I paid for the damage ~ the other car.

An invitation '~' a party/a wedding etc.:

- Did you get an invitation ~ the party?

A reaction '~' something:

- I was surprised at his reaction ~ what I said.

A solution '~' a problem/an answer '~' a question/ a reply '~' a letter/a key '~' a door:

- Do you think we'll find a solution ~ this problem?

- The answer ~ your question is 'No'!

An attitude '~'/'~wards' someone/something:

- His attitude ~/~wards his job is very negative.

We say '~ be nice / kind / good / generous / mean / (im)polite / rude / (un)pleasant / (un)friendly / cruel ~ someone':

- She has always been very nice/kind ~ me. (not 'with me')

We say '~ be married/engaged ~ someone':

- Linda is married ~ an American, (not 'with an American').

We say '~ be different ~ (or from) someone/something':

- The film was quite different ~ (or from) what I expected.

We say '~ be similar ~ something' :

- Your writing is similar ~ mine.

We say 'apologize ~ someone for something':

- When I realized I was wrong, I apologized ~ him for my mistake.

We say '~ belong ~ someone':

- Who does this coat belong ~?

We say '~ complain ~ someone about someone/something:

- We complained ~ the manager of the restaurant about the food.

We say '~ happen ~ someone/something' :

- A strange thing happened ~ me the other day.

- What happened-~ that gold watch you used ~ have?

We say '~ listen ~ someone/something':

- We spent the evening listening ~ records.

We say '~ shout ~ someone (so that they can hear you)':

- He shouted ~ me from the other side of the street.

But '~ shout at someone ( when you are angry )':

- He was very angry and started shouting at me.

We say '~ speak/talk ~ someone ('with' is also possible but less usual)':

- (on the telephone) Hello, can I speak ~ Jane, please?

- Who was that man I saw you talking ~ in the pub?

We say '~ write ~ someone:

- Sorry. I haven't written ~ you for such a long time.

We say '~ explain (a problem/a situation/a word etc.) ~ someone':

- Can you explain this word ~ me? (not 'explain me this word')

- Let me explain ~ you what I mean.

We say '~ invite someone ~ (a party/a wedding etc.)':

- Have you been invited ~ any parties recently?

We say '~ prefer someone/something ~ someone/something':

- I prefer tea ~ coffee.

We say '~ sentence someone ~ (a period of imprisonment)'

- He was found guilty and sentenced ~ six months' imprisonment.

We say '~ throw something ~ someone (for someone ~ catch):

- Ann shouted 'Catch!' and threw the keys ~ me from the window.

But: '~ throw something at someone/something (in order ~ hit them):

- Someone threw an egg at the minister while he was speaking.

The Bbi combinatory dictionary of English, a guide to word combinations.      Комбинаторный словарь английского языка Bbi. Руководство по словосочетаниям.