Verb + preposition (1) at and to

Verb + preposition (1) at and to

A. Verb + at

look/have a look/stare/glance (etc.) AT ...:

* Why are you looking at me like that?

laugh/smile AT ...:

* I look stupid with this haircut. Everybody will laugh at me.

aim/point (something) AT..., shoot/fire (a gun) AT... (='in the direction of'):

* Don't point that knife at me. It's dangerous.

* We saw some people with guns shooting at birds.

B. Verb + to

talk/speak TO (somebody) ('with' is also possible but less usual):

* Who was that man you were talking to?

* Can I speak to Jane, please?

listen TO ...:

* We spent the evening listening to music. (not 'listening music')

write (a letter) TO ...:

* Sorry I haven't written to you for such a long time.

but phone/telephone somebody (no preposition):

* Did you phone your father yesterday? (not 'phone to your father')

invite (somebody) TO (a party/a wedding etc.):

* They only invited a few people to their wedding.

C. Some verbs can be followed by at or to, with a difference of meaning. For example:

shout AT somebody (when you are angry):

* She got very angry and started shouting at me.

shout TO somebody (so that they can bear you):

* She shouted to me from the other side of the street.

throw something AT somebody/something (in order to bit them):

* Somebody threw an egg at the minister.

throw something TO somebody (for somebody to catch):

* Judy shouted 'Catch!' and threw the keys to me from the window.

D. Explain/describe/apologize

We say explain something (TO somebody):

* Can you explain this word to me? (not 'explain me this word')

also: 'explain (to somebody) that/what/how/why ...':

* I explained to them what I wanted them to do. (not 'I explained them')

Describe is similar:

* Let me describe to you what I saw.

Note that we say 'apologize TO somebody (for ...)':

* He apologized to me. (not 'He apologized me')

but 'thank somebody (for something)', 'ask somebody (for something)':

* He asked me for money. (not 'He asked to me')