When translating English sentences, small differences in word choice can lead to confusion. The sentence ‘When I woke up, my father had gone to work’ is a common and correct way to express that your father had already left for work when you woke up. But is ‘When I woke up, my father had gone for work’ correct? Let’s analyze these two options to understand which one is the best.
Understanding the Sentence: ‘When I woke up, my father had gone to work’
The sentence ‘When I woke up, my father had gone to work’ is a typical past perfect sentence structure. The phrase ‘had gone’ indicates that the action of your father leaving for work occurred before another past action, which is your waking up. ‘To work’ clearly indicates the destination (his workplace), which is the appropriate phrasing for this context.
Why ‘To Work’ Is Correct
In English, when referring to someone’s destination, we typically use ‘to’ followed by the location or purpose of the visit. ‘To work’ is the proper phrase to describe someone going to their workplace. It’s a standard expression, and ‘to’ is used because work is seen as a destination, not an activity.
Why ‘For Work’ Is Not Ideal in This Context
‘For work’ could technically work in other contexts, but in this specific sentence, it is less precise. ‘For work’ is often used to express the purpose of an action rather than the destination. For example, you might say, ‘He went for work-related tasks,’ or ‘He left for work at 9 AM,’ which refers to the purpose or reason for going somewhere, but not the destination itself. So, ‘for work’ in this context would be incorrect.
Conclusion: ‘To Work’ Is the Correct Choice
In the case of the sentence in question, ‘When I woke up, my father had gone to work’ is the proper and correct translation. The use of ‘to’ accurately describes the destination (his workplace), and ‘had gone’ indicates that this action happened before another past action (your waking up). The phrase ‘for work’ would not be appropriate in this case.
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