There are benefits "to" or "of"? (2024)

Hello,

Which one of these sentences is correct?

There are benefits to consuming less alcohol.
There are benefits of consuming less alcohol.

I would have picked the first one without the shadow of a doubt. But the second version is also frequently used. Can you tell me which one is correct? I would be really grateful if you could also explain why.

Thanks a lot.

CrazyDiamond said:

Hello,

Which one of these sentences is correct?

There are benefits to consuming less alcohol.
There are benefits of consuming less alcohol.

I would have picked the first one without the shadow of a doubt. But the second version is also frequently used. Can you tell me which one is correct? I would be really grateful if you could also explain why.

Thanks a lot.

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Unfortunately, I can't give you a reason. It's just a matter of idiom.

Hi,

Perhaps it's an AmE vs. BrE thing, but I'm not entirely sure I agree with ribran, take, for example, the common phrase 'the benefit of the the doubt'. I would actually have said that - to my ear at least - 'of' is the better option, except in the case of 'is beneficial to', i.e 'consuming less alcohol provides a great benefit to your liver'.

Au101

Hello,

Thank you so much for your replies. Isn't related to the structure of the sentence which begins with "There are" ?

Have a nice evening!

Au101 said:

Hi,

Perhaps it's an AmE vs. BrE thing, but I'm not entirely sure I agree with ribran, take, for example, the common phrase 'the benefit of the the doubt'. I would actually have said that - to my ear at least - 'of' is the better option, except in the case of 'is beneficial to', i.e 'consuming less alcohol provides a great benefit to your liver'.

Au101

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For me, Au101, when a sentence begins with "There are advantages...", both to and in are correct, but of is not. At least for me, the presence of expletive 'there' excludes the possibility of of.

Au101 said:

I think Alxmrphi (I wonder how one is to pronounce that name ) has hit the nail on the head there - which probably explains why I was uncomfortable with your blanket choice, Ribran, but also why 'of' doesn't feel quite right to you. I suppose 'there are benefits of the consumption of alcohol' is what I would have to say, were I to use of, then. Although, that is just an aside, I would never advise such a horribly 'clunky' phrase, CrazyDiamond

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I'm sorry. I really should have learned by now that what an American may consider correct, a Briton may consider completely bizarre, and vice versa.

ribran said:

For me, Au101, when a sentence begins with "There are advantages...", both to and in are correct, but of is not. At least for me, the presence of expletive 'there' excludes the possibility of of.

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"There are benefits of taking a walk after dinner everyday" sounds perfectly natural, doesn't it?

Hmmm... I would say:

"There are benefits to taking a walk after dinner everyday" i.e. attached to"These are [the] benefits of taking a walk after dinner everyday" i.e. possessed by; that accrue from.

PaulQ said:

Hmmm... I would say:

"There are benefits to taking a walk after dinner everyday" i.e. attached to"These are [the] benefits of taking a walk after dinner everyday" i.e. possessed by; that accrue from.

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What about this sentence:

“Why don’t you join us, other than the benefit I have mentioned, there are more benefits of investing with us.”

“There” is in contrast to the preceding word “the [benefit]”. Does the above sentence sound natural in that context?

Au101 said:

I think Alxmrphi (I wonder how one is to pronounce that name ) has hit the nail on the head there - which probably explains why I was uncomfortable with your blanket choice, Ribran, but also why 'of' doesn't feel quite right to you. I suppose 'there are benefits of the consumption of alcohol' is what I would have to say, were I to use of, then. Although, that is just an aside, I would never advise such a horribly 'clunky' phrase, CrazyDiamond

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I would say "There are benefits to the consumption of alcohol" (well, actually I would be much more likely to say "There are benefits to consuming alcohol"), but I would ask "What are the benefits of the consumption...."

The name looks like "Alex Murphy" to me....

ribran said:

...
At least for me, the presence of expletive 'there' excludes the possibility of of.

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Would you explain the logic behind this in more detail?

PaulQ said:

Hmmm... I would say:

[...]

"The

se are [the] benefits of taking a walk after dinner everyday" i.e. possessed by; that accrue from.

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"These" not "there" here.

sunyaer said:

"These" not "there" here.

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Do you have a question about this, sunyaer?

Paul was showing how changing from 'there' to 'these' changes the meaning of the sentence.