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Prepositions after verbs

Write about, by, in, to, or for?

Different prepositions after write express topic, language, reader, purpose, or authorship.

Quick answer

Which preposition follows write?

Use write about for topics, write in for language or style, write to for communication with someone, and write for for an audience or publication. By usually introduces the author after a noun, not after the verb write.

She wrote about climate policy.
Please write in English.
He wrote to his aunt every week.
They write for a travel magazine.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
write about + topic

Describing the subject

Use about to introduce the topic of writing.

The article writes about urban transport.
She wrote about her childhood.
2
write in + language or style

Showing the language or format

Use in for languages, scripts, or styles.

Please write in black ink.
The report was written in French.
3
write to + person

Communicating with someone

Use to when sending a letter, email, or message to a person or organisation.

I wrote to the manager yesterday.
4
write for + audience or publication

Showing intended readers

Use for to describe the audience, employer, or publication.

She writes for a science website.
5
written by + author

Naming the author

By usually appears in passive structures or after nouns such as book or article.

The novel was written by a local journalist.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
write about
He wrote about the election.
introduce the topic
write in
Please write in Spanish.
show language, style, or medium
write to
She wrote to her cousin.
communicate with someone
write for
I write for an online newspaper.
show audience or employer
write by
The poem was written by Maya.
by identifies the author in a passive structure, not a normal active pattern

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using write by in active sentences

English normally uses write to someone or write about something.

✕ I wrote by my teacher yesterday. ✓ I wrote to my teacher yesterday.

Confusing write in and write about

In refers to language or format, while about introduces the topic.

✕ She wrote in history. ✓ She wrote about history.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. He wrote ___ his experience abroad.
2. Please write ___ blue ink.
3. She writes ___ a children's magazine.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between write to and write for?

Write to means communicate with someone. Write for means produce writing for an audience, company, or publication.

Can I say write by someone?

Usually only in passive structures such as written by a famous author.

Why do we say write in English?

In introduces the language, script, or writing style being used.

wade, through, wade, into wait for, in, on, at or till? wake up, from, in, at or by? walk into, in, to, through or on? wander through, around, into, in or from? "want for", "want from" or "want in"? "warn of" or "warn against"? "wash with", "wash in" or "wash over"? "waste on" or "waste in"? watch for, in, on, from or with? "wave at" or "wave to"? "weaken by", "weaken to" or "weaken of"?

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