care for vs care about vs care of (GiU Unit 133)
The frame
Section titled “The frame”He gave up his job to care for his elderly father. ✓
Quit job = active tending → for. (✗ care about = emotion only, no doing. ✗ care of = mail addressing only.)
The three
Section titled “The three”| care + | meaning | example |
|---|---|---|
| care for | look after / tend; (formal) like, want | care for his father; “Would you care for tea?” |
| care about | feel concern (emotion, no action) | I care about the environment |
| care of | mail only — c/o “in care of” | John Smith c/o Jane Doe — ✗ “to care of someone” |
The split that matters
Section titled “The split that matters”- for = active tending (hands involved, doing something)
- about = passive feeling (concern only, no action)
Both can mean “like” in registers: I don’t care for spicy food (don’t like, BrE) vs I don’t care about money (not concerned).
JP mirror: 世話をする (care for = tend) vs 気にかける (care about = mind). The preposition tells whether hands are involved.
Related (Unit 133 family)
Section titled “Related (Unit 133 family)”- look after = care for synonym (no preposition on the object): look after his father
- careful with/of — careful with the glass (handle), careful of the dog (beware)
Source
Section titled “Source”Raymond Murphy, English Grammar in Use, Unit 133 — Verb + preposition 2. Ebot lesson 2026-09-05.