For vs. because

[Jesus1]

Hello! How are you feeling?

My question:

Are ?for?and ?because? always interchangeable?

I mean, Can I use 'for' instead of
'because' in any sentence?

Thanks a lot!

Jes?s

[DOlier]

Simple answer: No.

"Why do you ask ?"
"Because I need to know".

You could not use "for" here.

[Alan]

Hi,

Both words explain the reason for something. There are two main differences: you don't start a sentence with for and it is rarely used in speech but usually in the written or literary form.

I went there because I wanted to see the scenery. (written and spoken)

They couldn't go on holiday this year for they were very short of money. (usually only in written or literary form)

Alan
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English as a Second Language
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[Jesus1]

Hi! First of all, many thanks!

Well, I?ve realized that I?ve made a fool of
myself asking such a simple question
Obviously, I can?t answer with ?for?
to Art?s question.
Maybe I should have asked, for instance,
when ?for? can be used instead of ?because? or something like that.

But, anyway, I am afraid I don?t get it.
Could you explain to me why I can't use ?for?
in first Alan?s example and why, however,
I can in the second one.


Thanks in advance

Jes?s

[DOlier]

No Jesus, You are not making a fool of yourself.
It is not such a simple question !!

My answer was simple - too simple !!
I just said "No", but I did not - could not of the top of my head - say why, which is what you really need to know.

My apologies

"For" can be used in a different sense meaning "to aquire":

I went to the shop for some bread.

I went on holidays for a suntan

He went fishing for salmon

Alan, I know one can't start a sentence with "for", can you exlpain Why ?

[Alan]

Hi,

I think we've wandered away from the use of for. I am talking about for as a conjunction and not a preposition. As the meaning of for in that sense suggests more of an explanation rather than a reason, it wouldn't start a sentence since you can't explain what happens before you know what has happened.

In my example;

[Jesus1]

Good afternoon! How is it going?

Thanks both of you!

But, Can't I use ?for?in your first sentence, Alan?


'I went there because-for I wanted to see the scenery'

Isn?t "I wanted to see the scenery" the reason
why I went there?

By the way, could you give another example in which I can
use 'because' and not 'for', and another one in which
I can use both 'because' and 'for' as conjunctions?
I would appreciate if you give me a good link where I
can find examples which help me understand
this better.

Thanks again!

[Vaok]

[Alan]

Hi Vaok,

I think this getting a bit too sharp for my weary brain but I'll have a go. They couldn't ... because (that's the reason they gave) ...They couldn't ... for (that's the explanation I/you/he gave).

Does that help?

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Make or Do?