Anonymous Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
"Request for" versus "request" - rules of usage?
Hi guys, just a point I'd like to clarify which was brought up at a seminar I attended regarding the drafting of legal documents.
From my understanding, I've always thought that when a "request" (used as a verb) is made for an object, the sentence should be in the form "request + for + object", i.e., "request" must be followed by the preposition "for".
Take for example:
(1) "He requested for a form."
=> Where "form" = object
OR
(2) "He requested for a speedy resolution of the matter."
=> "speedy resolution of the matter" = object
OR
(3) "He requested for an extension of the deadline."
=> "extension of the deadline" = object
=> Conversely, you could take "extension" as the object and "of the deadline" as a modifier/adjunct. Likewise for example (2)
It is only in the case of sub-clauses that the preposition "for" is omitted, such as:
(4) "He requested that immediate action be taken"
==> "that immediate action be taken" = subordinate clause, where the verb in the main clause is "requested".
The problem is at the seminar I attended, I was told that the following sentence is WRONG: "He requested for an adjournment".
According to the lecturer, "for" should be omitted, such that the correct sentence should read: "He requested an adjournment".
Now it's pretty clear to me that "an adjournment" is a noun acting as the object in this clause, so why do we drop the "for"? Did the lecturer make a mistake? Or have I been completely off-track all along? In this case, "He requested an adjournment" actually sounds fine to me, but not when I apply this same rule to the example (2) or (3) above:
"He requested a speedy resolution of the matter."> Sounds odd.
> Sounds odd.
I've been repeating example (1) over and over again so I can't even tell which version (with or without the "for") sounds more correct anymore!
Help anyone?
From my understanding, I've always thought that when a "request" (used as a verb) is made for an object, the sentence should be in the form "request + for + object", i.e., "request" must be followed by the preposition "for".
Take for example:
(1) "He requested for a form."
=> Where "form" = object
OR
(2) "He requested for a speedy resolution of the matter."
=> "speedy resolution of the matter" = object
OR
(3) "He requested for an extension of the deadline."
=> "extension of the deadline" = object
=> Conversely, you could take "extension" as the object and "of the deadline" as a modifier/adjunct. Likewise for example (2)
It is only in the case of sub-clauses that the preposition "for" is omitted, such as:
(4) "He requested that immediate action be taken"
==> "that immediate action be taken" = subordinate clause, where the verb in the main clause is "requested".
The problem is at the seminar I attended, I was told that the following sentence is WRONG: "He requested for an adjournment".
According to the lecturer, "for" should be omitted, such that the correct sentence should read: "He requested an adjournment".
Now it's pretty clear to me that "an adjournment" is a noun acting as the object in this clause, so why do we drop the "for"? Did the lecturer make a mistake? Or have I been completely off-track all along? In this case, "He requested an adjournment" actually sounds fine to me, but not when I apply this same rule to the example (2) or (3) above:
"He requested a speedy resolution of the matter."
> Sounds odd.
"He requested an extension of the deadline".
> Sounds odd. I've been repeating example (1) over and over again so I can't even tell which version (with or without the "for") sounds more correct anymore!
Help anyone?
Top answer
To me, all your examples with 'for' sound very odd indeed. The only time I would use 'for' with request would be as follows: He made a request for a form. (otherwise 'he requested a form' without any 'for').
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To me, all your examples with 'for' sound very odd indeed.
The only time I would use 'for' with request would be as follows:
He made a request for a form. (otherwise 'he requested a form' without any 'for').
He made a request for an extension to the deadline (otherwise 'He requested an extension of the deadline').
So when 'request' is a noun it is used with 'fo
The only time I would use 'for' with request would be as follows:
He made a request for a form. (otherwise 'he requested a form' without any 'for').
He made a request for an extension to the deadline (otherwise 'He requested an extension of the deadline').
So when 'request' is a noun it is used with 'fo
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Hi,
From my understanding, I've always thought that when a "request" (used as a verb) is made for an object, the sentence should be in the form "request + for + object", i.e., "request" must be followed by the preposition "for".
'Request' is a transitive verb. No 'for' should be used. eg 'He requested a form'. Perhaps you are bei
From my understanding, I've always thought that when a "request" (used as a verb) is made for an object, the sentence should be in the form "request + for + object", i.e., "request" must be followed by the preposition "for".
'Request' is a transitive verb. No 'for' should be used. eg 'He requested a form'. Perhaps you are bei
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AnonymousHi guys, just a point I'd like to clarify which was brought up at a seminar I attended regarding the drafting of legal documents.
From my understanding, I've always thought that when a "request" (used as a verb) is made for an object, the sentence should be in the form "request + for + object", i.e., "request" must be followed by the preposition "for".
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Hi,
BTW, [request for], depending on the context, it's possibly correct. Google result: 2,100,000,000 for http://www.google.fr/url?sa=X&oi=dict&q=http://www.answers.com/request%26r%3D67
I think you need to be careful how you google on
BTW, [request for], depending on the context, it's possibly correct. Google result: 2,100,000,000 for http://www.google.fr/url?sa=X&oi=dict&q=http://www.answers.com/request%26r%3D67
I think you need to be careful how you google on
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Or have I been completely off-track all along?I'm sorry to say that there is no really charitable way to phrase this.
Yes.
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Thanks for all the input guys!! I was indeed confused over the noun and verb usage of "request". What an *** I've been!! 
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Don't feel embarassed about it. I'm sure your English gets better and better all the time. No-one is perfect.
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I requested a http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/taxi for eight o'clock.
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/request
She requested permission to film a
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/request
She requested permission to film a
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