English speaking

Conversational structures with for

The structure for + noun/pronoun + infinitive is very common in English. It is used when an infinitive needs its own subject.

• It only takes ten minutes for me to walk to the office.
• It is not necessary for you to wait any longer.
• There were no toys for the children to play with.
• It is now too late for us to begin a new lesson.
• There is nothing more for you to do.
• It is difficult for anyone to control him.
• It isn’t easy for me to let him go.

Some of these sentences can be rewritten with the for-structure as subject.

• For me to walk to the office takes only ten minutes.
• For you to wait any longer isn’t necessary.
• For me to let him go isn’t easy.

In some cases, it is also possible to replace a for-structure with an if-clause.

• It would be risky for you to attempt it.
• It would be risky if you attempted it.
• It wouldn’t be wise for you to boycott the function.
• It wouldn’t be wise if you boycotted the function.

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