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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Phrase "for free"

My dad and I have a standing disagreement on the phrase "for free". For instance, we had a tree cut down and I told him the company cut it "for free" and he says that is incorrect, I sould say just "free".

Could someone please settle this for us, I would be very gtateful!

Dee
  

Top answer

If you look in the dictionary, under the entry free , you can find the following: —Idioms 44. for free, Informal . without charge: The tailor mended my jacket for free.

— AlpheccaStars

  • If you look in the dictionary, under the entry free , you can find the following: —Idioms 44.
  • for free, Informal .
  • without charge: The tailor mended my jacket for free.
  • The formal sentence might be: The company did not charge us anything to cut the tree down.
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2 Answers
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If you look in the dictionary, under the entry free, you can find the following:

—Idioms 44. for free, Informal . without charge: The tailor mended my jacket for free.

The formal sentence might be:
The company did not charge us anything to cut the tree down.
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In this case, you are right and he is wrong.

Try replacing "free" with a money amount and see how it works.

They cleaned up the yard for free.
They cleaned up the yard for five dollars.

Clearly you can't say "They cleaned up the yard five dollars."
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