For You or For Work?

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For You or For Work?

In this lesson, you can identify an intended person using for.

Created by , British English teacher.

I’m studying:

Try the activities, then check your answers.

Choose a short recording.

Before you start

Name someone who could use a notebook.

See one possible response

My sister can use it.

You sort a box of useful items for a new shared home.

What you will practise
  • Identify an intended person using for.
  • Explain a simple intended use.
  • Ask the right question and give both kinds of information.

Say your answer. Then check the model. Your answer can be different if it fits the task.

Who is it for?

Put a person or object pronoun after for: for Sam, for me, for her, for us. This tells us the intended person. Use me, not I, after for. Ask Who is this for?

This key is for you.

The blue cup is for my sister.

The man offers a single key directly to the fully blonde woman, who responds with pleased recognition and reaches to receive it. The key is for that person. Keep a natural clear handover and no door scenery.
This key is for you.Who is it for? asks about the person.

What is it for?

For can also name a use or activity: for work, for school, for the kitchen. Ask What is this bag for? Keep a noun or short noun phrase after for in this lesson.

This small table is for the kitchen.

My black bag is for work.

People and uses together

The same item can have a person and a use: This notebook is for Ali. It is for his English class. Use who for a person and what for a use. Do not change the object pronoun after for when the sentence is a question.

Is this ticket for me?

These boxes are for our books.

The same woman shows her refined black work bag, open enough to reveal a slim laptop and a neat folder, while explaining its use to the man. Her gesture clearly connects the bag to work rather than transferring it to someone. Keep only these useful props on white.
My black bag is for work.What is it for? asks about its use.

Guided practice

Say or write your answer first. Then compare the meaning and grammar with the model.

1. This message is for Anna and ___. Use the object form of I.

Compare a model and explanation

me

A preposition takes the object form here.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

2. The answer is For my father. Ask who or what.

Compare a model and explanation

Who is it for?

The answer names a person.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

3. The answer is For work. Ask who or what.

Compare a model and explanation

What is it for?

Work is the intended use, not a person.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

4. These tickets are for we.

Compare a model and explanation

These tickets are for us.

Use the object pronoun us after for.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

5. for / bag / school / This / is

Compare a model and explanation

This bag is for school.

The phrase for school follows is.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

6. Who is the red chair for? It is intended for your sister.

Compare a model and explanation

It’s for my sister.

The response identifies the intended person.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

7. This book is for Ben. This book is for the class. Which names a person?

Compare a model and explanation

This book is for Ben.

Ben is the person; the class names a use or group context.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

8. You have two boxes: one for shoes and one for books. Say what each is for.

Compare a model and explanation

This box is for shoes. That box is for books.

Use for with the two noun phrases.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

A short conversation

Listen to the exchange, then take one role. The speaker labels identify roles; do not narrate them.

Open the conversation transcript

Housemate: Who is this desk for?

New resident: It’s for me. I use it for work.

Housemate: And what are these shelves for?

New resident: They’re for our books.

Listening checks

Listen to each extract, then choose the best answer. These three questions have their own score.

1. Who is the red notebook for?
Read the listening transcript

The red notebook is for Tom. The blue one is for his sister.

2. What is the small bag for?
Read the listening transcript

This is my work bag. That small bag is for the gym.

3. Who are the first two keys for?
Read the listening transcript

These two keys are for us. The other key is for our neighbour.

Answer key with explanations

  1. Who is the red notebook for?

    Tom.: The first sentence names Tom.

    Compare all choices
    • The speaker’s teacher.: No teacher is mentioned.
    • His sister.: She is the intended person for the blue notebook.
    • Tom.: The first sentence names Tom.

  2. What is the small bag for?

    The gym.: The speaker gives this intended use.

    Compare all choices
    • The gym.: The speaker gives this intended use.
    • Work.: Work describes the other bag.
    • A gift for a friend.: No gift is mentioned.

  3. Who are the first two keys for?

    The speaker and another person with them.: Us includes the speaker and someone else.

    Compare all choices
    • Nobody.: The keys have an intended group: us.
    • The speaker and another person with them.: Us includes the speaker and someone else.
    • Only the neighbour.: The neighbour gets the other key.

Mastery quiz

Choose the best answer for each situation. The score is out of eight.

1. Complete: This card is for ___. Use I.
2. Choose the question for the answer For Eva.
3. Choose the question for the answer For school.
4. Complete: The tickets are for my parents. They are for ___.
5. Which sentence states an intended use?
6. Ask whether a seat is intended for your group. Choose the correct question.
7. You are sorting a present for your brother. Which sentence fits?
8. Choose the complete label explanation.
Answer key with explanations

  1. Complete: This card is for ___. Use I.

    me: Me is the object form after for.

    Compare all choices
    • my: My needs a following noun.
    • me: Me is the object form after for.
    • I: I is the subject form.

  2. Choose the question for the answer For Eva.

    Who is it for?: Who asks for the person.

    Compare all choices
    • What colour is it?: This asks about colour, not the intended person.
    • Where is for it?: This is not a correctly formed question.
    • Who is it for?: Who asks for the person.

  3. Choose the question for the answer For school.

    What is this bag for?: What asks about the bag’s use.

    Compare all choices
    • What is this bag for?: What asks about the bag’s use.
    • How old is this bag?: This asks about age, not use.
    • Who are this bag?: The agreement and question structure are incorrect.

  4. Complete: The tickets are for my parents. They are for ___.

    them: Them refers to the parents after for.

    Compare all choices
    • they: They is a subject form.
    • them: Them refers to the parents after for.
    • their: Their needs a following noun.

  5. Which sentence states an intended use?

    This shelf is for books.: Books explains what belongs on the shelf.

    Compare all choices
    • This shelf are for book.: Agreement and the noun phrase are incorrect.
    • This shelf is brown.: Brown describes colour, not intended use.
    • This shelf is for books.: Books explains what belongs on the shelf.

  6. Ask whether a seat is intended for your group. Choose the correct question.

    Is this seat for us?: Is begins the question and us follows for.

    Compare all choices
    • Is this seat for us?: Is begins the question and us follows for.
    • Is this seat for we?: We is not the object form.
    • This seat for us is?: This is not the neutral question order taught here.

  7. You are sorting a present for your brother. Which sentence fits?

    This is for my brother.: It identifies the intended person.

    Compare all choices
    • This for is brother my.: The noun phrase and verb placement are incorrect.
    • This is for my brother.: It identifies the intended person.
    • This is my brother for.: The words are not arranged as a complete statement.

  8. Choose the complete label explanation.

    This box is for her. It’s for her books.: Her can be an object pronoun or a possessive before books.

    Compare all choices
    • This box is for she. It’s for she books.: Both uses require her, not she.
    • This box for her is for.: The sentence ends with an incomplete for phrase.
    • This box is for her. It’s for her books.: Her can be an object pronoun or a possessive before books.

Use it in your own words

Sort gifts

Choose three simple gifts and say who each is for.

Reveal a possible response

This cup is for my mother. This book is for my friend. These pens are for us.

  • Use people or object pronouns after for
  • Match singular and plural subjects

Gifts and people can be invented.

Explain useful things

Choose two things in a home and say what they are for.

Reveal a possible response

This basket is for clothes. That shelf is for photos.

  • Name two uses
  • Use noun phrases after for

Use familiar nouns; do not force an infinitive into this pattern.

Put it all together

Help a new colleague sort office supplies. Ask who one item is for, explain two uses and identify something intended for both of you.

Reveal a possible response

Who is this chair for? This box is for paper. These shelves are for folders. These two keys are for us.

  • Include who and a person
  • Explain two uses
  • Use us correctly

Change the items while keeping the task clear.

Take it with you

For can name the intended person or use. Ask who it is for or what it is for. Keep the two meanings clear.