Of/for

Question

It's become a habit for people to trash him and what's funny is the fact that these people no one has ever heard of or ever will try to draw attention to themselves by doing it.andIt's become a habit of people to trash him and what's funny is the fact that these people no one has ever heard of or ever will try to draw attention to themselves by doing it.ARe both useable?  Thank you.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

PreciousJonesIt's become a habit for people to trash him and what's funny is the fact that these people no one has ever heard of or ever will try to draw attention to themselves by doing it.

and

It's become a habit of people to trash him and what's funny is the fact that these people no one has ever heard of or ever will try to draw attention to themselves by doing it.

ARe both useable? Thank you.

Both are usable, though the second one sounds strange to my ear.

The main idea is that people trash him, and this practice has become a habit. The trashing is expressed in a FOR ... TO ... clause: for people to trash him. This is, in effect, the subject, thus:

For people to trash him | has become a habit.

This | has become a habit.

_______

In the second sentence, it's "a people's habit", "a habit of people".

To trash him | has become a habit of people.

This | has become a habit of people.

The problem here is "a habit of people". This is not a very idiomatic way to put it in English. We would more likely say, "one of people's habits" to communicate that meaning:

It's become one of people's habits to trash him ....

_______

In summary, the first one is better.

CJ

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