有一读者问： 下面两个句子中的 for 短语是定语还是状语？有的书说是定语，有的书说是状语：
(1)I have bought some books for children.
(2)He wanted some medicine for his cough.
我们倾向于定语。例（1）的 for children 乃修饰 some books， 整个宾语部分意谓“几本或一些儿童读物”。例（2）的 for his cough 修饰 some medicine, 整个宾语部分意谓“一些可以治其咳嗽的药”。但例（1）如改写为：
(3)I have bought some books for my children.
介词短语 for my children 就是状语了，因为也可以说：
(4)For my children I have bought some books.
当然，你如果愿意的话，也可以将例（3）的 for my children 看作“介词+间接宾语”，因为整个句子相当于：
(5)I have bought my children some books.
