Be Prepared To Do vs. Prepared For Something
Cambridge directly records prepared + to-infinitive and prepared for + noun/event.
Use “prepared to do something” for willingness or readiness to take an action. Use “prepared for something” when the complement names the situation, event, or thing being anticipated.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| willingness or readiness to take an action | prepared + to-infinitive | use the infinitive before the action |
| readiness for an event, situation, demand, or thing | prepared for + noun phrase | use “for” to name what is anticipated |
Quick tests
Action-or-situation test
Are you describing readiness to act, or readiness for a named event/situation?
If yes: Use “prepared to + verb” for the action.
If no: Use “prepared for + noun phrase” for the event, demand, or situation.
Caveat: Do not choose the preposition by sound alone; identify whether the complement is an action or a thing/situation.
Examples
The team is prepared to revise the schedule.
The infinitive names the action the team is ready to take.
The team is prepared for a delay.
“For” names the situation being anticipated.
We are prepared to respond because we prepared for the outage.
The two constructions can describe different aspects of readiness.
Further guidance
Core difference
Cambridge documents be prepared to do something and prepared for + noun/event as standard patterns.
Style Boundary
Prepared to do often expresses willingness/readiness to act; prepared for introduces the event, situation, or thing one is ready to face.
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.
- Prepared (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Direct learner-dictionary evidence for prepared + to-infinitive and prepared for + noun/event.