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Ant_222 Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
«Wait» or «wait for»
Hello all.
I am interested whether it is correct to say «wait an hour», without «for», as in «wait for an hour». If it is, is there any difference between the two?
Also, can «for» be omitted with other verbs when referring to a period of time:
a_verb for a_period_of_time
1. The film lasted for two hours
2. The film lasted two hours
I am interested whether it is correct to say «wait an hour», without «for», as in «wait for an hour». If it is, is there any difference between the two?
Also, can «for» be omitted with other verbs when referring to a period of time:
a_verb for a_period_of_time
1. The film lasted for two hours
2. The film lasted two hours
Top answer
It depends on your context. I waited an hour before the bank opened. I waited an hour for the bank to open Usually, is associated with [for] in most usage.
- It depends on your context.
- I waited an hour before the bank opened.
- I waited an hour for the bank to open Usually, is associated with [for] in most usage.
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5 Answers
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It depends on your context.
I waited an hour before the bank opened.
I waited an hour for the bank to open
Usually,
I waited an hour before the bank opened.
I waited an hour for the bank to open
Usually,
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Your last two sentences are correct. More examples of how to express time:
He has been here five days.
He has been here for five days.
He went to Egypt for five years.
I haven't seen him for five years.
I haven't seen him in five years.
For is very handy in expressions of time.
Cheers
CB
He has been here five days.
He has been here for five days.
He went to Egypt for five years.
I haven't seen him for five years.
I haven't seen him in five years.
For is very handy in expressions of time.
Cheers
CB
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Thank you.
But I still don't know how exactly it depends on the context. Can you give some exmples where «for» is necessary, and where the lack of it is necessary?
Both bank examples, I think, can be written with «for» after «waited» as well...
Of course, in «He went to Egypt for five years» the «for» is required, but I mean patterns of the kind:
verb+for+time,
But I still don't know how exactly it depends on the context. Can you give some exmples where «for» is necessary, and where the lack of it is necessary?
Both bank examples, I think, can be written with «for» after «waited» as well...
Of course, in «He went to Egypt for five years» the «for» is required, but I mean patterns of the kind:
verb+for+time,
00
Both bank examples, I think, can be written with «for» after «waited» as well...
Yes, but to have two for's so close to each other may be considered stylistically bad by some people.
Your last two sentences are both correct. You might leave out the commas, though, unless you insist on the reader pausing before the temporal clauses.
Incidentally, I'm not a native speaker of E
Yes, but to have two for's so close to each other may be considered stylistically bad by some people.
Your last two sentences are both correct. You might leave out the commas, though, unless you insist on the reader pausing before the temporal clauses.
Incidentally, I'm not a native speaker of E
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