open for..open to

cool avatar Nav,

but sorry if i cannot help you anything on these

That is an expression which means that a person was able to accomplish something.

"Since he got his Ph.D, the door was (now) opened to him to apply for a professorship in his college."



This can mean one of two things, according to its context.

The first refers to someone giving a person an advantage that he could not have gotten by himself.

"He applied for the job. He knew nobody in the firm, but since he had a good friend in the company, who gave him a great reference, the door was opened for him"

There can also be a literal meaning:

"Since he was carrying a lot of packages, and couldn't manage to turn the doorknob by himself, the door was opened for him".

Thanks Pheonix.This means that " opened for " in the sentence implies some assistance or help, contrary to " opened to ".What about the first sentence?.

Thanks DUDE :wink:

(1) Literal)

The door was opened TO him, suggests that the person opening the door was behind the door, for example somebody knocks on the front door of a house and somebody else inside the house opens it TO him, (implies that permission to enter is granted.)

The door was opened FOR him suggests that the person wishing to go through the doorway and the person who opens it are both on the same side of the door, for example you check in to a hotel, the hotel keeper carries your bags to your room and opens the door FOR you. (implies an act of assistance)

(2) Metaphorical

Meaning that an obstacle to progress has been removed

I wanted to join the church, and now that women are admitted, the door has been opened to me. (the people already inside church have changed its policy)

I could never get promotion in my job, but now my boss is dead, the door is open for me. (the death was the act of assistance)