Learn English – “By theself” vs. “for theself”

word-choiceword-differenceword-usage

I want to know the difference between these expressions "for myself" and "by myself", because I don't know how I should use them, for example:

I had studied English for myself until I attended a school.

I had studied English by myself until I attended a school.

At the previous sentences which one is correct?, or are both correct? If they're both correct, what is the exactly difference between "for myself" and "by myself"?, in any sentence.

Best Answer

To do something for myself means to do it for my own benefit rather than for the benefit of anybody else.

To do something by myself means to do it without the assistance or anybody else and, by implication, without using online or other aids.

So, if I spent all my weekends picking up litter in the neighbourhood for myself it's because I wanted to enjoy a litter-free neighbourhood.

If I spent those weekends picking up litter by myself it means that nobody else joined me in my litter-removal campaign. It was a single-handed effort.

Your example sentences are badly constructed. What you are trying to say is:

I had studied English for/by myself until I joined a school.

You need to use the past tense joined.

We would probably write: until I attended a school rather than joined.