Can You Start a Sentence With “For”?

You can use “for” at the beginning of a sentence in both formal and informal writing. When you use “for” to start a sentence, it relates to the previous sentence and means “because.” E.g., “He could not buy the car. For he did not have the money.”

Firstly, when you use “for” at the start of a sentence to mean “because,” it does not necessarily need to be in a new sentence.

  • I didn’t stop to speak to him. For I didn’t have the time before I went to work.

You can instead join the word “for” to the previous sentence, which is sometimes more concise.

  • I didn’t stop to speak to him, for I didn’t have the time.

Furthermore, you can add other words after “for” that change the meaning completely.

You can also add the words “example or “instance” after “for” to show examples.

  • He didn’t perform well in any area. For example, his sales figures are extremely low.
  • Young people have access to technologies previous generations did not. For instance, the internet has revolutionized education.

Also, if you add the word “me,” so it becomes “for me,” the meaning changes to “in my opinion.”

  • Everyone said the game was good. For me, it wasn’t very interesting.

If you add the phrase “that reason” to the end of “for,” it has the same meaning as “consequently.”

  • She did not concentrate in class. For that reason, she failed all her exams.

You may still have doubts about starting a sentence with the word “for.” Keep reading the rest of the article, where we explain how to use “for” in formal and informal writing.

You can also discover alternatives to using “for” at the beginning of a sentence.

Can You Start a Sentence With “For” in Formal Writing?

You can start a sentence with “for” in formal writing, and it is widespread.

Likewise, using the word” for” by itself to begin a sentence is common, and it means “because” in this context.

  • The battle was a failure. For the invading forces were ill-prepared for the resilience of the enemy and retreated quickly.
  • The experiment did not yield the expected results. For the variables weren’t controlled effectively.
  • The presentation was not well-received. For the data presented lacked clarity and relevance to the audience’s concerns.

It is also prevalent in academic writing to start sentences with “for example” and “for instance.” You can use the terms to provide justification or examples related to the previous sentence.

  • The demographic that will benefit the most from tax cuts is the rich. For instance, the average person earning over $100,000 will save around $7000 annually.
  • Many countries are shifting towards renewable energy sources. For example, Denmark is already producing a significant portion of its electricity from wind power.
  • There are several benefits of reading regularly. For instance, it can enhance vocabulary, improve cognitive functions, and offer relaxation.

You can also add the term “that reason” after “for” at the start of a sentence to mean “consequently.” When you do this, you need to reverse the sentence and put the “reason” first.

As shown in this example:

  • The President lost the election. For he did little to appeal to minority voters.
  • The President did little to appeal to minority voters. For that reason, he lost the election.

The word for is not considered very formal so it is often more appropriate to use a more formal word. Some examples of replacements for “for” are listed below:

  • Because
  • Concerning
  • Considering
  • For the sake of
  • In order to

Can You Start a Sentence With “For” in Informal Writing?

You can start a sentence with “for” in informal writing. However, some believe the word used by itself at the start of a sentence is a little old-fashioned.

However, a common phrase in informal English using the word “for” is “for me.” The term “for me” means the same as “in my opinion” or how something “affects me.”

Have a look at these example sentences using “for me” to start a sentence in informal writing:

  • For me, it’s all the same whether we go out tomorrow or tonight.
  • People are saying the team is good. For me, this is the weakest team we have had in years.
  • Everyone seems to love that movie. For me, it was just average at best.
  • Many find the cold weather refreshing. For me, it’s just unbearable.
  • Most people think that digital books are the future. For me, nothing beats the feel of a real book in hand.
  • Some say that the city’s nightlife is exciting. For me, it’s too loud and overwhelming.

That’s all we have for you today! We trust that you are now more confident in using the word “for” to start your sentences in formal and informal writing.