Fo+period of time

Question

Hello,1. He’s been ill (for) a long time.2. I am staying (for) three weeks.3. I stayed (for) three weeks.I would like to know why 'for' is  optional in these time expressions denoting a period of time.Thanks.

Tamguatlay · Accepted Answer

No. "for' is mandatory.

Hanuman_2000 · Answer

Hello,

All these three sentences have been taken from a book. The word 'for' was inside the bracket, which indicates it may be optional. Nothing was explained in the book but generally items in brackets suggest optional things.

Thanks.

CalifJim · Answer

"for" is not mandatory in the variety of English that I speak.

hanuman_2000I would like to know why 'for' is optional

There is no specific reason. You may as well ask why we say "three weeks" instead of "three woikies". It's just the way English is spoken.

CJ

Hanuman_2000 · Answer

Thank Sir!!

1. She stayed in Lagos for over a month.

2. Can you stay over the weekend?

I could understand 'over a month' means more than a month, but could not 'over the weekend'.

Thanks.

Cool Breeze · Answer

over, prep.

1. above in place or position: the roof over one's head.
2. above and to the other side of: to leap over a wall.
3. above in authority, rank, power, etc.: no one over her in the department.
4. so as to rest on or cover; on or upon: Throw a sheet over the bed.
5. on top of: to hit someone over the head.
6. here and there on or in; about: at various places over the country.
7. through all parts of; all through: to show someone over the house.
8. to and fro on or in; across; throughout: to travel over Europe.
9. from one side to the other of; to the other side of; across: to go over a bridge.
10. on the other side of; across: lands over the sea.
11. reaching higher than, so as to submerge: The water is over his shoulders.
12. in excess of; more than: not over five dollars.
13. above in degree, quantity, etc.: a big improvement over last year's turnout.
14. in preference to: chosen over another applicant.
15. throughout the length or duration of: The message was sent over a great distance; over a long period of years.
16. until after the end of: to adjourn over the holidays.
17. in reference to, concerning, or about: to quarrel over a matter.
18. while doing or attending to: to fall asleep over one's work.
19. via; by means of: I heard it over the radio.
RHUD

CB

Fivejedjon · Answer

hanuman_2000I would like to know why

You have been asking about the 'why?' of constructions in several of your posts recently. There is frequently no answer to this question. Languages are not logical constructions; they evolved haphazardly over centuries., and different languages evolved in different ways.

Here's one simple example:

Standard English has one pronoun for addressing people, you.
German has three pronouns, du (singular, informal), ihr (plural, informal) and Sie (singular/plural, formal)..
French has two pronouns, tu (singular, informal) and vous (singular, formal; singular/plural, formal).

We just have to accept this when we learn these language. The 'why?' is irrelevant; it may well be unanswerable.

Hanuman_2000 · Answer

Sorry !!

I will keep in my mind about it.

Thanks.

Fo+period of time

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