The preposition for is one of the most common and basic words in the English language, and it can be used to connect two words, phrases, or sentences to indicate some kind of relationship between them. Depending on the context and grammatical structure, for can have a variety of different meanings and usages, such as expressing purpose, cause, benefit, use, goal, time, exchange, etc. This article will give a detailed introduction and analysis of the various uses of for, and give some suggestions and examples for applying for for in English writing.
FOR can be used to denote the purpose or intent of an action or thing, i.e., what to do for what. This usage is commonly used in the following grammatical structures:
1.for + noun pronoun
This structure can be used to denote the purpose, function, scope of application, or object of something or someone. For example:
this is a book for children.This is a children's book.
he bought a gift for her.He bought her a gift.
what can i do for you?What can I do for you?
there is a letter for you on the table.There's a letter from you on the table.
2.for + gerund
This structure can be used to represent the purpose or result of an action. For example:
he went out for a walk.He went out for a walk.
she is studying hard for the exam.She is studying hard for her exams.
they are waiting for the bus.They were waiting for the bus.
he apologized for being late.He apologized for being late.
3.for + infinitive
This structure can be used to indicate the purpose or intent of an action. For example:
he came to see me for a chat.He came to talk to me.
she left for work early.She left early to go to work.
they are s**ing money for a trip.They are saving money to travel.
he is looking for a place to stay.He's looking for a place to live.
Note: When it comes to representing a purpose, the difference between for + infinitive and to + infinitive is that the former emphasizes the existence of the purpose and the latter emphasizes the realization of the purpose. For example:
he went to the library for a book.He went to the library to find a book. (emphasizing the purpose of finding a book).
he went to the library to borrow a book.He went to the library to borrow a book. (Emphasis on the act of borrowing books).
4.for + clause
This structure can be used to represent the purpose or justification of an action or state. For example:
he is here for you to see him.He's here for you to see him.
she was happy for him to win the prize.She was happy that he had won the award.
he did it for me to help him.He did this so that I could help him.
they are working hard for us to h**e a better life.They work hard to give us a better life.
Note: When it comes to expressing a purpose, the difference between a for + clause and a so that + clause is that the former emphasizes the existence of the purpose and the latter emphasizes the realization of the purpose. For example:
he left a note for me to find it.He left a note so I could find it. (Emphasize the purpose of leaving a note).
he left a note so that i could find it.He left a note so I could find it. (emphasizing the possibility of finding the note).
In English writing, expressing purpose is a common writing technique that helps the writer clarify his or her point of view, intention, or goal, thus making the essay more persuasive and logical. When using for to express a purpose, you should pay attention to the following:
According to different grammatical structures, choose the appropriate for usage to avoid grammatical errors or confusion.
According to different contexts and tones, choose the appropriate for usage to avoid semantic errors or ambiguity.
Choose the appropriate for usage according to different writing styles and purposes to avoid repetition or redundancy.
Depending on the object and occasion of writing, choose the appropriate for usage to avoid being impolite or inappropriate.
Here are some examples of writing that use for to express purpose:
the purpose of this essay is to analyze the causes and effects of global warming, and to propose some possible solutions for this problem.(analytical**).
for the sake of clarity, i will divide my presentation into three parts: background, findings, and recommendations.(Presentation).
i am writing to apply for the position of sales manager, for which i h**e the required qualifications and experience.(Cover letter).
thank you for your invitation to the party. i am looking forward to seeing you and h**ing a good time. for your convenience, please let me know the exact time and place of the party.(Thank you note).
FOR can be used to denote the cause or justification of an action or thing, i.e., what is done because of something. This usage is commonly used in the following grammatical structures:
1.for + noun pronoun
This structure can be used to denote the cause or justification of something or someone. For example:
he is famous for his novels.He is famous for his **.
she was late for the traffic jam.She was late because of a traffic jam.
he got a reward for his br**ery.He was rewarded for his bravery.
she is sorry for her mistake.She was sorry for her mistake.
2.for + gerund
This structure can be used to denote the cause or justification of an action. For example:
he was punished for lying.He was punished for lying.
she thanked him for helping her.She thanked him for his help.
he blamed himself for failing the exam.He blames himself for failing the exam.
she apologized for being rude.She apologized for being rude.
3.for + clause
This structure can be used to represent the cause or justification of an action or state. For example:
he is happy for he has passed the exam.He was happy that he had passed the exam.
she didn't go to school for she was ill.She didn't go to school because she was sick.
he couldn't sleep for he was too excited.He couldn't sleep because he was so excited.
she cried for she had lost her wallet.She cried because she had lost her wallet.
In English writing, expressing reasons is a common writing technique that helps the writer state his or her opinion, argument, or facts, thus making the essay more persuasive and logical. When using for to express a reason, you should pay attention to the following:
According to different grammatical structures, choose the appropriate for usage to avoid grammatical errors or confusion.
According to different contexts and tones, choose the appropriate for usage to avoid semantic errors or ambiguity.
Choose the appropriate for usage according to different writing styles and purposes to avoid repetition or redundancy.
Depending on the object and occasion of writing, choose the appropriate for usage to avoid being impolite or inappropriate.
Here are some examples of writing that use for to express why:
the main reason for global warming is the greenhouse effect, which is caused by the excessive emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.(illustrative**).
for your information, the deadline for the project is next monday, so please finish your work as soon as possible.(Notification Email).
i am sorry for any inconvenience caused by the delay of the shipment. we are doing our best to solve the problem and deliver your order as soon as possible.(Letter of Apology).
he deserved the award for he had made great contributions to the development of science and technology.(Evaluative article).
FOR can be used to denote the benefit or impact of an action or thing, i.e., to something or who is beneficial or disadvantageous. This usage is commonly used in the following grammatical structures:
for + noun pronoun
This structure can be used to represent the benefit or influence of something or someone. For example:
he works hard for his family.He worked hard for his family.
she is doing this for your own good.She did it for your good.
he sacrificed his life for his country.He sacrificed his life for the sake of his country.
she is fighting for her rights.She fought for her rights.
for + the + adjective
This structure can be used to represent an interest or impact of a certain nature or characteristic. For example:
he is famous for the rich.He was famous for the rich.
she is popular for the young.She is popular for young people.
he is dangerous for the weak.He is dangerous for the sake of the weak.
she is helpful for the poor.She is useful for the poor.
for + the + noun
This structure can be used to represent the benefit or influence of something or group. For example:
he is working for the company.He works for the company.
she is studying for the exam.She studied for exams.
he is playing for the team.He plays for the team.
she is singing for the audience.She sings for the sake of the audience.
In English writing, expressing interest is a common writing technique that helps the writer state his or her opinion, attitude, or position, thus making the essay more persuasive and appealing. When using for to express benefits, you should pay attention to the following:
According to different grammatical structures, choose the appropriate for usage to avoid grammatical errors or confusion.
According to different contexts and tones, choose the appropriate for usage to avoid semantic errors or ambiguity.
Choose the appropriate for usage according to different writing styles and purposes to avoid repetition or redundancy.
Depending on the object and occasion of writing, choose the appropriate for usage to avoid being impolite or inappropriate.
Here are some examples of writing that use for to express interests:
smoking is bad for your health, so you should quit it as soon as possible.(Persuasive article).
for the sake of fairness, we will use a random method to select the winner.(Explanatory article).
for the benefit of our customers, we h**e launched a new service that allows you to order online and pick up in store.(Propaganda article).
for the love of music, he decided to pursue his dream of becoming a singer.(Narrative article).
for can be used to denote the purpose or function of an action or thing, i.e., what is used or how to do something. This usage is commonly used in the following grammatical structures:
for + noun pronoun
This structure can be used to denote the use or function of something or someone. For example:
this is a tool for cutting wood.This is a tool used to cut wood.
he is a teacher for english.He is a teacher who teaches English.
this is a gift for you.It's a gift for you.
he is a friend for me.He's a friend of mine.
for + gerund
This structure can be used to represent the purpose or function of an action. For example:
he uses his phone for taking photos.He took pictures with his phone.
she likes reading for relaxing.She loves to read to relax.
he is good at cooking for entertaining.He is good at cooking to entertain guests.
she is interested in painting for expressing herself.She is interested in painting and uses it to express herself.
This structure can be used to represent the purpose or function of an action. For example:
he bought a car for driving to work.He bought a car to drive to work.
she borrowed a book for learning english.She borrowed a book to learn English.
he made a cake for celebrating her birthday.He made a cake to celebrate her birthday.
she wrote a letter for thanking him.She wrote a letter of credit thanking him.
In English writing, expressive use is a common writing technique that helps the writer to state his or her opinions, ideas, or plans, thus making the essay more persuasive and logical. When using for purpose, you should pay attention to the following:
According to different grammatical structures, choose the appropriate for usage to avoid grammatical errors or confusion.
According to different contexts and tones, choose the appropriate for usage to avoid semantic errors or ambiguity.
Choose the appropriate for usage according to different writing styles and purposes to avoid repetition or redundancy.
Depending on the object and occasion of writing, choose the appropriate for usage to avoid being impolite or inappropriate.
Here are some examples of writing that use for to express purpose:
this is a guide for writing a good essay. you can follow the steps and tips in this guide to improve your writing skills.(Instructional article).
for example, you can use a metaphor to make your writing more vivid and interesting. a metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two things that are not alike.(Illustrative article).
for this reason, i strongly recommend that you choose our product. our product is not only high-quality and affordable, but also eco-friendly and durable.(Recommended Article).
for fun, he likes to play video games and watch movies. he is a very outgoing and cheerful person.(Descriptive article).