With vs. For

'With' and 'for' are commonly used words in the English language. In this lesson, we will compare 'with' and 'for' and look at their uses.

What Is Their Main Difference?

The main difference between 'with' and 'for' is that 'with' can only be used as a preposition while 'for' can be used as both a preposition and a conjunction.

With

'With' is used as a preposition:

To show what or who was in the company of another:

They served the dinner with wine.

I was with my boyfriend.

To indicate possession. This possession can be a special feature or an item:

The baby with blonde hair was running that way.

She has a car with tinted windows.

To show the tools and instruments used to fulfill an action:

The cat opened the plastic bag with its claws.

She was cutting the apple with a knife.

For

'For' is also used widely as a preposition:

To show an action or event happened 'in favor of' and 'to the benefit of' someone or something:

We are voting for her.

He got a present for me.

To indicate the purpose or function of something:

The tools for making this table were expensive.

These letters were used for exchanging information.

'For' is also used as a conjunction. This usage is considered old-fashioned and is found in literary texts:

She was found guilty for she was the only one with a motive.

He was feeling nervous for he had a job interview.

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