directs them for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "directs them for" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to convey guidance or instruction, but it lacks clarity and proper usage. Example: "The manager directs them for the upcoming project."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

COP1 directly interacts with target proteins and directs them for degradation (Hoecker, 2005; Jiao et al, 2007).

EMBO Journal

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Clint Eastwood has been acting in movies for 55 years and directing them for 40.

The Guardian - Film

When Martin Esslin directed them for BBC radio in the 1970s, he saw them as "a description of schizophrenic withdrawal symptoms".

The Guardian

Professionals train the barbers how to talk to customers, and where to direct them for more support.

Independent

He paid his subjects to pose -- he says it would have been immoral not to -- and often directed them, for instance, to take off their clothes.

The New York Times - Arts

In our practice, once a patient is admitted to the trauma bay, whatever their haemodynamic status, the protocol will direct them for a WBCT scan for an exhaustive injury assessment, before or after an emergency haemostatic intervention (surgery or interventional radiology).

Annals of Intensive Care

James L. Brooks directed them for the first time since the television show's early seasons.

Wikipedia

Since these would be damaging if they mixed freely with the remainder of the cytosol, the barrel is capped by a set of regulatory proteins that recognize proteins with a signal directing them for degradation (a ubiquitin tag) and feed them into the proteolytic cavity.

Wikipedia

It would be advantageous to use the tool as a preliminary step to identify patients at high risk and to direct them for treatment (and research) purposes.

BMJ Open

In the cytosol, another suite of chaperones, such as Hsp70, Hsp83, Hsp40, and Hsp23 recognize hydrophobic patches of misfolded proteins and may either refold them or direct them for further proteasome degradation [ 125].

BMC Genomics

Whereas the most studied class of miRNAs are ~22 base long ribonucleotide sequences that target complementary untranslated regions of mRNAs, directing them for degradation in the RNA-induced silencing complex, or regulate their translation, other noncoding RNA types have different or less understood mechanisms of action.

Arthritis Research and Therapy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Prefer using more precise prepositions like "to", "towards", or "in" instead of "for" to clearly indicate the intended destination or purpose when providing direction.

Common error

Avoid using "for" when you mean to indicate a specific destination or the recipient of direction. "For" often implies purpose or benefit, not direction. Use alternatives such as "to" or "towards" to avoid ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "directs them for" functions as a verb phrase, where "directs" is the verb, "them" is the object, and "for" attempts to indicate purpose or direction. However, as Ludwig AI indicates, the preposition usage is not standard and often requires a clearer alternative.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

32%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "directs them for" is used to express the act of guiding individuals or entities toward a specific goal, but as Ludwig AI highlights, this construction is not considered grammatically optimal. A more precise preposition, such as "to" or "towards", is typically preferred to enhance clarity. While the phrase appears across various contexts—including science, news, and general reference materials—its usage is infrequent. Given the potential for ambiguity, consider using alternative phrasings like "directs them to" or "guides them towards" to improve grammatical correctness and clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

directs them to

Replaces "for" with "to", indicating a direction towards a specific location or resource.

guides them toward

Substitutes "directs" with "guides", implying a more supportive and less authoritarian approach.

channels them to

Uses "channels" instead of "directs", suggesting a focused and deliberate routing.

steers them toward

Replaces "directs" with "steers", indicating a subtle course correction.

orients them to

Uses "orients" instead of "directs", focusing on providing understanding and context.

instructs them on

Replaces "directs" with "instructs", emphasizing teaching and providing instructions.

sends them to

A more literal substitution; focusing on the act of sending someone to a physical location.

routes them to

Uses "routes" instead of "directs", suggesting a planned and efficient path.

points them toward

Replaces "directs" with "points", indicating a suggestion.

leads them to

Suggests a step by step guidance approach to achieve a goal.

FAQs

What's a better preposition to use instead of "for" after "directs them"?

Using prepositions like "to", "towards", or "into" after "directs them" usually provides more clarity. For instance, "directs them to" indicates a destination, while "directs them towards" suggests a general direction.

How can I rephrase "directs them for" to sound more professional?

To sound more professional, replace "directs them for" with phrases like "guides them towards", "channels them into", or "orients them to" depending on the specific context.

Is "directs them for" grammatically correct?

While sometimes used, "directs them for" is often considered grammatically awkward. It's safer to use alternatives like "directs them to" or "guides them towards" for better clarity and correctness.

What does "directs them for" imply in a sentence?

The phrase "directs them for" implies that someone is guiding others toward a specific purpose, but it's less direct and can be ambiguous. Using "directs them to" clarifies the destination, while "directs them towards" suggests a general direction or goal.