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When it comes to the English language, the word ‘for’ is a jack-of-all-trades. Most commonly, this word is used as a preposition or an adverb. However, the word ‘for’ can also function as a conjunction in a sentence. If you have also come across this question, then make sure you continue reading this blog post., Here you find the various ways to use ‘for’ as a conjunction, shedding light on its versatility and explaining its correct usage.
This Blog Includes:
What are Conjunctions?
Before we find out how ‘for’ can be used in a sentence as a conjunction, we must know what conjunctions are. To put it together, they are words that connect words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence. They play a crucial role in forming complex sentences and expressing relationships between different sentence parts.
Conjunctions can be subdivided into three categories: Coordinating conjunctions, Subordinating conjunctions and Correlative conjunctions.
Once you have understood all about the three types of conjunctions, let us now see how we can use ‘for’ in a sentence as a conjunction.
Must Read:
| Correlative Conjunctions: Examples & Exercises |
| Coordinating And Subordinating Conjunctions |
| Examples of Conjunctions |
How to Use ‘For’ in a Sentence as a Conjunction?
We know that the word ‘for’ is usually used as an adverb or a preposition. But here we will find ‘how to use ‘for’ in a sentence as a conjunction. We will try to incorporate ‘for’ in all three types of conjunctions.
Coordinating Conjunction
The word ‘for’ can also function as a coordinating conjunction, though it’s less common than its use as a subordinating conjunction.
Let us find out how:
When used as a coordinating conjunction, “for” introduces a clause that explains the reason for a preceding statement. It essentially means “because.”
To use ‘for’ in a sentence as a conjunction, we will follow this structure:
| Independent Clause, for + Independent Clause |
Take a look at these two examples of how to use ‘for’ in a sentence as a conjunction.
- “The children were excited, for it was their birthday.”
(Here, both clauses are independent (they can stand alone as sentences). “For” connects these two clauses, explaining the reason for the children’s excitement.)
- “She stayed home from work, for she was feeling unwell.”
(Both clauses are independent. “For” explains the reason for her staying home.)
Subordinating Conjunction
When “for” acts as a subordinating conjunction, it introduces a clause that explains the reason or cause for something. It essentially means “because.”
To use ‘for’ in a sentence as a conjunction, you can follow this structure:
| Independent Clause, for + Dependent Clause |
Following are example sentences explaining how to use ‘for’ in a sentence as a conjunction.
- He stayed up all night, for he had an important exam the next morning. (Explains why he stayed up)
- She decided to take a break from work, for she was feeling overwhelmed. (Explains why she took a break)
- The children were excited, for it was their birthday. (Explains why they were excited)
Correlative Conjunction
“For” is not typically used as a correlative conjunction. Correlative conjunctions always come in pairs.
Common examples include:
- both…and
- either…or
- neither…nor
- not only…but also
Also Read: Types of Conjunctions
50 Sentences Using ‘For’ as a Conjunction
Now that you have understood how to use ‘for’ in a sentence as a conjunction. Let us now look at the following sentence examples to get a better idea.
| Sentences | Type of ‘For’ |
| He studied hard, for he wanted to get a good grade. | Subordinating – reason |
| I woke up early, for I had a big presentation. | Subordinating – reason |
| She loves to cook, for her family and friends. | Subordinating – reason |
| He exercised regularly, for both his physical and mental health. | Subordinating – reason |
| We went to the beach, for some sunshine and relaxation. | Subordinating – reason |
| He studied French for two years, for he planned to travel to Paris. | Subordinating – reason |
| They saved money, for a down payment on a house. | Subordinating – reason |
| I read the book for pleasure, for it was not assigned for class. | Subordinating – reason |
| The team practised hard, for the upcoming competition. | Subordinating – reason |
| She brought an umbrella, for it looked like rain. | Subordinating – reason |
| He apologised, for he had hurt her feelings. | Subordinating – reason |
| We stayed inside, for the storm was raging. | Subordinating – reason |
| She wore a coat, for it was a chilly evening. | Subordinating – reason |
| I turned off the lights, for I was going to sleep. | Subordinating – reason |
| He ate slowly, for he wanted to savour every bite. | Subordinating – reason |
| She smiled, for she was happy to see him. | Subordinating – reason |
| The children were excited, for it was their birthday. | Coordinating (reason) |
| She stayed home from work, for she was feeling unwell. | Coordinating (reason) |
| He volunteered at the shelter, for he wanted to help others. | Subordinating – reason |
| I went for a walk, for I needed some fresh air. | Subordinating – reason |
| She bought a new car, for her old one was unreliable. | Subordinating – reason |
| He took a deep breath, for he was about to give a speech. | Subordinating – reason |
| I closed the door quietly, for I didn’t want to wake the baby. | Subordinating – reason |
| She wore sunscreen, for she was going to the beach. | Subordinating – reason |
| He packed a lunch, for he would be out all day. | Subordinating – reason |
| I watered the plants, for they looked thirsty. | Subordinating – reason |
| She took a break, for she was feeling tired. | Subordinating – reason |
| He checked his email, for he was expecting an important message. | Subordinating – reason |
| I made a reservation, for I knew the restaurant would be busy. | Subordinating – reason |
| She locked the door, for she wanted to feel safe. | Subordinating – reason |
| He turned down the music, for the baby was sleeping. | Subordinating – reason |
| I took my vitamins, for I wanted to stay healthy. | Subordinating – reason |
| She wore comfortable shoes, for she knew she would be walking a lot. | Subordinating – reason |
| He brought a jacket, for the weather forecast predicted rain. | Subordinating – reason |
| I turned on the air conditioner, for it was a hot day. | Subordinating – reason |
| She used a map, for she was unfamiliar with the area. | Subordinating – reason |
| He studied the instructions carefully, for he wanted to avoid making mistakes. | Subordinating – reason |
| I practised the piano, for I had a recital coming up. | Subordinating – reason |
| She saved some money, for a rainy day. | Subordinating – reason |
| He took his time, for he wanted to do a good job. | Subordinating – reason |
| I followed the recipe carefully, for I wanted to bake a delicious cake. | Subordinating – reason |
| He exercised regularly, for he wanted to stay in shape. | Subordinating – reason |
| She wore a hat, for she didn’t want to get sunburned. | Subordinating – reason |
| I brought a book, for I knew I would have some downtime. | Subordinating – reason |
| He packed his bags, for he was leaving on a trip tomorrow. | Subordinating – reason |
| The children were playing quietly, for their parents were sleeping. | Subordinating – reason |
| She brought a jacket, for the weather was unpredictable. | Subordinating – reason |
| I turned off the television, for it was time for bed. | Subordinating – reason |
| He studied hard, for he wanted to succeed. | Subordinating – reason |
| The concert was postponed, for the weather was inclement | Subordinating – reason |
| She smiled, for she was happy to see her friends. | Subordinating – reason |
Find related reads on Learn English here!
FAQs
“For” is primarily a subordinating conjunction that introduces a clause explaining the reason for something. For example, “He studied hard, for he wanted to get a good grade.” It can also be used as a coordinating conjunction, connecting two independent clauses, often with a slightly formal tone. For example, “The children were excited, for it was their birthday.”
Here’s an example of “for” used as a conjunction:
“He stayed up all night, for he had an important exam the next morning.”
In this sentence, “for” connects the two clauses.
The first clause (“He stayed up all night”) is independent (it can stand alone as a sentence). The second clause (“he had an important exam the next morning”) is dependent (it cannot stand alone as a sentence).
Here are 10 examples of “for” used as a conjunction, focusing on its most common use as a subordinating conjunction to express reason:
He studied hard, for he wanted to get a good grade.
I woke up early, for I had a big presentation.
She loves to cook, for her family and friends.
He exercised regularly, for both his physical and mental health.
We went to the beach, for some sunshine and relaxation.
He studied French for two years, for he planned to travel to Paris.
They saved money, for a down payment on a house.
I read the book for pleasure, for it was not assigned for class.
The team practised hard, for the upcoming competition.
She brought an umbrella, for it looked like rain.
“For” is a versatile word with multiple functions. It can be a subordinating conjunction introducing a reason clause (e.g., “He studied hard, for he wanted to succeed”). It can also be a coordinating conjunction, though less common, connecting two independent clauses (e.g., “The children were excited, for it was their birthday”). Finally, “for” serves as a preposition indicating purpose, recipient, duration, exchange, or support (e.g., “I went to the store for milk,” “I bought a gift for my friend”).
This was all about ‘how to use ‘For’ in a sentence as a conjunction and its usage in English grammar. Hope you understand the concept and know how to proceed. You can also follow the Learn English page of Leverage Edu for more exciting and informative blogs.
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