Sign In Get Started
Prepositions before nouns

Safety with different prepositions

To safety and for safety are common in different meanings. Of safety appears in longer noun phrases.

Quick answer

Which preposition fits safety?

Use to safety for movement toward a safe place and for safety for purpose or protection. Of safety usually appears in phrases like standards of safety.

The guide led us to safety
Wear gloves for safety
high standards of safety

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
to safety

Movement toward a safe place

Use to safety after verbs of movement.

Firefighters carried the child to safety
2
for safety

Purpose or protection

Use for safety to explain why something is done.

The machine shuts down for safety
3
of safety

Describing a quality or standard

Of safety usually follows another noun.

questions of safety were discussed

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
to safety
They swam to safety.
movement toward safety
for safety
Keep the door locked for safety.
for protection
of safety
issues of safety matter
relating to safety

Common mistakes

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

Using to safety without movement

To safety normally follows motion.

✕ The helmet is to safety ✓ The helmet is for safety

Using of safety alone

Of safety usually depends on another noun.

✓ concerns of safety

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The pilot guided the plane ___ safety.
2. Seat belts are used ___ safety.
3. The report raised questions ___ safety.

Check your sentence in context

Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

Free to try · No signup required

Frequently asked questions

Can I say to safety?

Yes, after verbs of movement such as run, swim, or guide.

What does for safety mean?

It means for protection or to avoid danger.

Is of safety common alone?

No. It usually follows another noun phrase.

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"?

Write with confidence in Linguix

Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.

Create a free account