1. For indicates a recipient or beneficiary.      

Pattern 1: noun + for + noun
I have a present for you.

Nouns often used before for:
answer, cure, gift, idea, job, message, letter, plan, present, project, question, suggestion, surprise, secret

Pattern 2: noun + for + ø noun

We have news for you.                        

Typical nouns before for:
advice, help, information, news, nothing, something              

Pattern 3: verb + noun + for + noun
She sang a song for me.
He only wants the best for you.                       

Verbs often used before for:
bake, build, buy, care, cook, create, dance, design, do, get, make, perform, play, sing, want, win, work, write             

2. For indicates a special purpose.                     

Pattern 1: noun + for + noun
You need a coat for winter.
He has a bicycle for transportation.                 

Pattern 2: noun + for + verb in gerund form
They have a special place for washing cars.
The doctor has a machine for measuring blood pressure.                   

Expression:
room for—enough space for something or somebody
We need room for twenty people for our party.
We don't have room for a grand piano.                                   

3. For can indicate the intended result of an action.                 

Pattern 1: verb + for + noun
The boys were screaming for help.
What are you looking for?                               

Verbs often used before for:
apply, ask, audition, beg, call, campaign, compete, cry, fight, go out, go, hope, long, look, petition, plead, pray, register, run, scream, send, shop, shout, stand in line, strive, study, train, try out, wait, whistle, wish, work, yell                    

Expression:
run for office—be a candidate in an election
After he ran for president and lost, he said he would never run for office again.                      

Pattern 2: verb + someone + for + noun
We nominated him for president of the club.      

Typical verbs:
ask, need, nominate, send, train, want             

Pattern 3: noun + for + noun
I hope they are developing a cure for the flu.
Do you have a good recipe for lemon pie?                  

 Nouns often used before for:
cure, directions, idea, instructions, lesson, need, pattern, plan, program, project, recipe, system                  

Pattern 4: be + adjective of condition + for + noun
I am hungry for steak and french fries.
They are ready for the ball game.                                            

Adjectives often used before for:
anxious, eager, greedy, hungry, impatient, prepared, ready, starved, thirsty                

4. For can explain the reason of an action or fact.            

Pattern 1: verb + for + noun
He apologized for his absence.           

Pattern 2: verb + for + gerund form of verb
He apologized for arriving late.                                    

Pattern 3: verb + someone + for + noun
They rewarded her for bravery.
They congratulated him for graduating.           

Verbs often used before for:
book, chide, cite, compensate, congratulate, criticize, expel, fine, get, honor, pay, praise, punish, reimburse, reprimand, reward, scold, tease                                                                                                                

Pattern 4: be + adjective + for + noun
She is famous for her great parties.
She is famous for giving great parties.            

Adjectives often used before for:
famous, feared, known, notorious, popular, loved, well-known                       

5. For can indicate the expected benefit of an action.             

Pattern: verb + for + noun
We play soccer for fun.                        

Typical nouns after for:
exercise, fun, happiness, kicks, money, peace, pleasure, practice, relaxation, security           

6. For can indicate the effect of an adjective.      

Pattern 1: be + adjective + for + noun
Calcium is good for your bones and teeth.                  

Adjectives often used before for:
accessible, available, bad, crucial, good, healthy, helpful, important, necessary, unhealthy, useful                

Pattern 2: It + be + adjective + for + object + infinitive
It was hard for him to make good grades.                                

Adjectives often used before for:
bad, better, challenging, customary, crucial, good, helpful, important, impossible, necessary, possible, ridiculous, unimportant, unnecessary, unusual, usual, useful, useless, wasteful, worse                          

Pattern 3: be + (not) adjective + enough + for + noun
This apartment is good enough for me.                                  

Pattern 4: be + too + adjective + for + noun
That course was too hard for him.
This apartment is too small for three people.               

7. For can indicate the recipient of someone's feelings.        

Pattern: be + adjective + for + noun (person)
We are happy for her on her wedding day.
Why are you sorry for yourself?                                  

Typical adjectives before for:
delighted, happy, pleased, sorry, thrilled                    

8. For can indicate activity or preparation on an occasion.                                                 

Pattern: verb + (noun) + for + noun
What do you want for your birthday?
What did you have for dinner?                        

Typical nouns after for:
one's anniversary, birthday, graduation
breakfast, dinner, the holidays, lunch             

9. For indicates a substitute.                

Pattern 1: noun + for + noun
We had to use a newspaper for an umbrella.
I'm sorry, I mistook you for someone else.                 

Pattern 2: verb + for + noun
He taught the class for our teacher, who was sick.                  

 Verbs often used with this meaning:
act, conduct, direct, drive, fill in, operate, manage, run, speak, stand in, substitute,             

10. For can mean available.    

Pattern: noun + for + noun
The house is for sale.
The pianos are for use by the students.           

Nouns often used after for:
hire, practice, purchase, rent, sale, use           

Expression:
up for grabs—available to many people
The chairmanship is up for grabs.                   

11. For can indicate a destination.                       

Pattern: verb + for + noun
We are leaving for Spain in two weeks.           

Verbs used before for:
head, leave, plan, set out, start out, take off                 

12. For can indicate representation.                 

Red is for stop; yellow is for caution; green is for go.
M is for Mary.                                                                          

13. For can indicate equality in an exchange.                       

Pattern 1: be + noun + for + noun
The bananas are two pounds for a dollar.        

Pattern 2: verb + noun + for + noun
We bought three books for twenty-five dollars.            

Typical verbs:
buy, do, exchange, hand over, make, rent, sell, take, trade, want                     

Pattern 3: verb + for + noun
He works for twenty dollars an hour.               

Expression:
for free—without charge
for nothing—without charge                  

14. For can indicate amount.               

Pattern: noun + for + noun
The mechanic sent them a bill for three hundred dollars.                    

Nouns often used before for:
bill, check, invoice, receipt, request                

15. For can indicate length of time.
He was here for ten years.                  

 Expressions: 
for good—forever
He came to live in this country for good.         

for life—until death
They sent him to prison for life.          

16. For can indicate need on a future date.
She needs the musicians for Thursday afternoon.                   

17. For can mean despite.            

Pattern: for + all + possessive pronoun + noun
For all her experience, she's not a very good secretary.          

Nouns often used with this meaning:
education, experience, expertise, knowledge, popularity, qualifications, training                   

18. For indicates the person or people responsible for an action.                                                                                                   

Pattern: for + person + infinitive
Your final grade is for the teacher to decide.
That problem is for you to solve.                                

19. For can describe a sense or talent.                      

Pattern: have + noun + for + noun
He has an ear for music.
She has a touch for the piano.                         

Nouns often used before for:
aptitude, ear, eye, knack, rhythm, talent, touch, voice             

Expressions with this meaning:
have a nose for gossip—often hear and spread news about others
have an eye for the girls—often admire pretty women                            

20. For can indicate an unusual fact.               

Pattern 1: adjective + for + noun
That boy is tall for his age.
It's warm for February.                        

Pattern 2: adverb + for + noun
She plays very well for a beginner.                 

21. For can indicate favor or support.      

Pattern: verb + for + noun
We are for higher wages.
You have to stand up for your rights.              

Verbs often used before for:
be, cheer, push, show respect, stand, stand up           

Expression:
to have a preference for—to prefer
She has a preference for the other job.            

22. For can mean because of.
We are thankful for your help.
She is grateful for her family.              

For as a conjunction means because.
She went home early, for she was sick.           

23. Expressions                   

for once—for the first time, showing exasperation
Would you please be at work on time for once!           

once and for all—immediately and forever after
She decided to stop smoking once and for all.           

word for word—reading or talking slowly, one word at a time
He read the letter to me word for word.                                               

for the time being—meanwhile; until something happens to change the situation
We can't do anything now, so for the time being we will act as usual.                         

for fear of—in order to avoid
He worked and saved for fear of being poor again.                  

for a change—as usual, sarcastically
It's raining for a change.                                  

be for the best—even though the situation is unpleasant, it may be good.
I was sad when she died, but it was for the best, because she was suffering a lot.                  

go for a drive/run/swim/walk—spend a short time doing that activity
We always go for a walk after lunch.                                                               

see for oneself—investigate personally
I couldn't believe her, so I decided to see for myself.              

for better or for worse—accepting all conditions, regardless of what happens in the future
He promised to stay with her forever, for better or for worse.                                                  

for naught—with no result
Our efforts were all for naught; we lost.           

24. Phrasal verbs   

go (in) for (nonseparable)—like a lot
The college girls really go for Latin dancing.              

go out for (nonseparable)—audition or perform for selection
She went out for the softball team, but she didn't make it.                  

care for (nonseparable)—love
She really cares for him.                     

care for (nonseparable)—want
She doesn't care for more ice cream, thank you.         

fall for (nonseparable)—innocently believe or trust
He falls for all of her tricks.                                                     

not stand for (nonseparable)—not allow
The teacher won't stand for talking during a test.                    

stand up for (nonseparable)—support publicly
His best friend stood up for him through all his problems.                 

take for (separable)—consider as
Don't take him for a fool; he is really quite smart.  

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