English UsageComparison guide
Be Grateful To Do vs. Grateful For Something
Cambridge directly records grateful + to-infinitive and grateful for + noun, supporting this narrow complement comparison.
Use “grateful to do/be…” when grateful is followed by an infinitive event. Use “grateful for something” when the complement names the help, support, opportunity, or circumstance for which thanks are felt.
Key details
Confusion Familyverb-complement
Rule Familyverb-complementation
Termsgrateful to do, grateful for something
Further guidance
Core difference
Cambridge documents grateful + to-infinitive and grateful for + noun as standard patterns.
Style Boundary
Do not confuse grateful to + verb with grateful to + person: the infinitive expresses an event/action, while for introduces the thing or help that prompts thanks.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Grateful (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Direct learner-dictionary evidence for grateful + to-infinitive and grateful for + noun.