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Prepositions with nouns

How to use prepositions with "bill"

The noun "bill" combines with different prepositions depending on whether you mean cost, payment, destination, or authorship.

Quick answer

Common patterns with "bill"

Use bill for to show what is charged and bill to to show who receives the charge. Other prepositions depend on context.

We received a bill for repairs.
Please send the bill to the finance office.
The proposal was introduced by bill in parliament.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
bill for + item/service

Showing what is charged

Use bill for to describe the reason for payment.

They received a bill for electricity.
2
bill to + person/company

Showing the recipient

Use bill to for the person or organisation that must pay.

The hotel sent the bill to our company.
3
bill of + rights/items

Naming a formal document or list

Bill of appears in fixed expressions such as Bill of Rights.

They studied the Bill of Rights in class.
4
bill with + feature

Describing an attached feature

With can describe something included with a bill.

We received a bill with detailed charges.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
bill for
She got a bill for medical treatment.
Shows what the payment is for.
bill to
Address the bill to the accounting department.
Shows who receives or pays the bill.
bill of
The Bill of Rights protects civil liberties.
Used in names of formal documents or lists.
bill by
The bill was proposed by Senator Lee.
By usually belongs to the passive verb proposed, not to bill itself.
bill with
They mailed a bill with a return envelope.
With adds accompanying information or objects.

Common mistakes

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

Using bill to for the service charged

Use bill for to describe the charge itself.

✕ a bill to internet service ✓ a bill for internet service

Confusing recipient and reason

Bill to names the payer; bill for names the item or service.

✕ Send the bill for our office. ✓ Send the bill to our office.

Using by directly after bill unnecessarily

By usually connects to the verb, not the noun bill.

✕ a bill by taxes ✓ a bill for taxes

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. We received a bill ___ water usage.
2. Please send the bill ___ my assistant.
3. The package included a bill ___ detailed instructions.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between "bill for" and "bill to"?

Bill for describes the charge. Bill to identifies the person or organisation responsible for payment.

Is "Bill of Rights" a fixed name?

Yes. Bill of is common in formal document titles.

Can "bill" be a verb?

Yes. To bill someone means to charge them for goods or services.

of, about, against, to or for racism? of, about, for, in or on friendship? of, about, for, on or to thing? of, about, for, to or with sex? of, about, on, to or for moon? "of access" or "with access"? "of accommodation" or "for accommodation"? "of accuracy" or "for accuracy"? "of action" or "in action"? "of actor", "with actor" or "by actor"? "of address" or "to address"? "of administration" or "in administration"?

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