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I always have a hard time in these cases: to choose for or to. Suppose I want to make a list of questions and as a headline I would like to name it something like: Questions for chapter 2. Is that correct? I think it sounds correct but the following I am less certain about. Is the following sentence correct:

"If you keep on reading, you will find the questions to chapter 2 in the book".

I could use the longer version:

"If you keep on reading, you will find the questions related to chapter 2 in the book". Which I am almost certain is correct with respect to to and for. But I would like to write as short as possible, please help me out.

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  • Unless otherwise specified by construction, complementizer, or verbal government -- which is not the case here -- for means 'for the purpose or benefit of' and to means 'directed towards'. Which one seems more appropriate here? – John Lawler Jan 19 '14 at 23:43
  • Then I would say to is the correct one here. – Your Majesty Jan 19 '14 at 23:46
  • Then you're using "directed" metaphorically. If that's clear to the students, cool. But "benefit" may be more welcome. – John Lawler Jan 19 '14 at 23:49
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    Ah man, now I think for is the better option. This is not easy for me :( english is like my third language. – Your Majesty Jan 19 '14 at 23:53
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    Yeah, it's hard. I'm lucky English is my first, but I wish there had been more languages around when I was young. I'm currently trying to learn pidgin Hindi for travelling to a wedding in Jaipur, and, like I said, it's hard. – John Lawler Jan 20 '14 at 0:12
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Among the many meanings of "for" is this: Used to indicate correlation or correspondence (source: Am. Her. Dict. 4e, def. 4b.), which seems to fit the example. My ear says "for" as well. "Questions to chapter 2" isn't idiomatic, at least not in the U.S.

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