look for
๐ Pronunciation
/lสk fษห(r)/
Stress: primary stress on verb 'LOOK for'
maintain stress on 'look' even when particle separated
๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ Word Family
| Word Class | Forms |
|---|---|
| Verbs | look for, looks for, looking for, looked for |
No derived forms; maintains phrasal verb structure in all uses
๐ Phrasal Verb Structure
Base verb: lookParticle: for
Transitivity: transitive
๐ Meanings
Meaning 1
try to find something by searching
Formal equivalent: seek, search for
SEMI-LITERAL
“I'm looking for my keys.”
“They've been looking for a new house.”
“What are you looking for?”
Meaning 2
expect or anticipate something
Formal equivalent: anticipate, expect
ABSTRACT
“We're looking for good results this quarter.”
“What qualities are you looking for in a candidate?”
โ ๏ธ Separability Rules
Rule: INSEPARABLE
Pronoun Placement
โ look for them
โ look them for
๐ก Think of it Like This
Imagine your eyes scanning an area with purpose, directed toward finding something specific
Memory aid: Your eyes are searching FOR something specific
Universal concept across cultures
๐ Usage Patterns
Grammatical Contexts
Imperative: “Look for the red folder!”
Continuous: “I am looking for my glasses”
Perfect: “Have you been looking for me?”
Passive: “The missing documents are being looked for”
Modal: “You should look for better opportunities”
Question: “What are you looking for?”
Negative: “I'm not looking for trouble”
Common in:
โ ๏ธ Common Errors
โ I look my keys forโโ I look for my keys
Attempting to separate inseparable phrasal verb
Common for: languages with different word order
High – very unnatural impact
โ I am looking after my keysโโ I am looking for my keys
Confusion with similar phrasal verb
โ I search my keysโโ I look for my keys
Direct translation from L1
โ I look itโโ I look for it
Omitting required preposition
โ I am seeking my keysโโ I am looking for my keys
Using overly formal alternative
๐ Register & Alternatives
Formality: neutral
Single-verb alternatives
Formal: seek, search
Neutral: search for
Informal: hunt around for
Use phrasal verb: everyday conversation, neutral business contexts
Use single verb: very formal academic writing
๐ Etymology
Origin: Old English 'locian' + preposition 'for'