"Now {to, for} the next sentence"?

Question

If I want to state a number of statements/sentences, and I have said the first one, then I want to say the next one, what would the correct preposition be that will indicate moving from one sentence to the next one in the speech?

I think both prepositions are valid, and each one has its own indication:

Now to the next sentence.

I think it means I now will move from the previous sentence to the next one.

Now for the next sentence.

This could mean I now will get to the next sentence and talk about.

According to Ngram (without any noun after "next", or else there wouldn't be any plot to show), both are used.

What I found in my search:

Listen carefully now to this next statement.

I think "listen" is used implicitly in my examples, so would that make "to" the only possible, correct preposition for such structures?

Answer 1

"Now for the next X,..." is a very common way to transition between discussing successive points, particularly in an essay or similar work. "listen" is not implied here. If "to" is to be used in such a construction, I would expect something like "now as to the next X..." or perhaps "Moving now to the next sentence, ..."

Consider also the very common introduction by a musician:

Now, for my next selection I will play ....

or from a magician:

Now, for my next trick, I will ....

The last of these is often used in an extended or metaphoric sense

For his next trick, the Governor will try to ...

In short I do not think "Now to the next sentence." a favored form.