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I have ordered for a cup of tea

Or

I have ordered a cup of tea

Which one is correct and why?

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  • Dictionaries with examples would answer this question.
    – Lambie
    Commented Apr 28, 2018 at 13:43

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You order something for someone or something. You don't order for something for someone or something in English. That doesn't sound idiomatic. For example:

I ordered a cup of tea for you.

I ordered a printer and twenty reams of A4 paper for the office.

I ordered for a cup of tea sounds like you placed an order for a cup of tea as though it were a living thing that was interested in receiving something from you, which is really just pure nonsense.

However, note that if the word order is used as a noun, then you most certainly can use it with the preposition for:

We received an order for a cup of tea.

I placed an order for a printer and twenty reams of A4 paper.

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  • To revive an order is a legalism, where order is a kind of legal decree by a judge or a parliamentary body. It is not used when placing orders for food and drink or other consumable goods.
    – TimR
    Commented Apr 28, 2018 at 13:36
  • Sorry, I meant to write received. My bad.
    – Michael Rybkin
    Commented Apr 28, 2018 at 13:39
  • Too bad it was a typo. Reviving an order for a cup of tea has a sort of Alice-in-Wonderland quality :)
    – TimR
    Commented Apr 28, 2018 at 13:41
  • The very first thing that came to my mind when I read this question was, "I rang for a cup of tea." ;)
    – Jason Bassford
    Commented Apr 29, 2018 at 22:26

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