for

[Allen165]

Is "for" necessary in this sentence:

Now all you need is for Mark to join the team.

Thanks.

 

[Mohammadhelmi]

It is not necessary to use 'for' in you sentence.

 

[sarat_106]

It is not necessary to use 'for' in you sentence.

I agree. Here you want to express that you need something or someone else and that you would get an advantage from having it. That ‘it or someone’ is Mark, so no ‘for’ is necessary after the verb ‘is’
Now all you need is Mark.

 

[TheParser]

Is "for" necessary in this sentence:

Now all you need is for Mark to join the team.

Thanks.

***** NOT A TEACHER*****

Good morning.

(1) I have done some research and, yes, "for" is optional after the verb "need." (High school-level books call "for" an expletive or preposition when it introduces an infinitive phrase/clause. College-level books prefer "complementizer.")

(2) That expert gives this example: Mommie needs for you to behave today./ Mommie needs you to behave today.

(3) I feel, however, that sometimes "for" is needed to set a certain tone.

(a) I have had a terrible week: First, my twenty-year-old son gets kicked out of college for cheating; my twenty-five-year-old daughter wants to change her hair color to green; and my favorite newspaper goes out of business. Now all I need is FOR my wife to tell me that she has fallen in love with a thirty-year-old dude!!!

(i) I cannot explain why, but I sense that the use of "for" gives my complaint a stronger feeling of resignation and self-pity.

Thanks for your thought-provoking question.

 

[TheParser]

Is "for" necessary in this sentence:

Now all you need is for Mark to join the team.

Thanks.

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Good morning.

(1) I have been thinking about your sentence.

(2) I now think it might (might!!!) be better to use "for."

(3) Let's remember that "all" = the one thing.

(4) Therefore, I believe that your sentence really =

The one thing (that) you need + IS (linking verb)+ for Mark to join the team. (For Mark to join the team = infinitive phrase acting as subjective complement. That is, it is referring to "All" (the one thing). )

(5) Notice how "for" is probably (probably!!!) necessary if you decide to use the infinitive phrase as the subject:

FOR Mark to join the team + is + all (the one thing) (that) you need.


I think (think!!!) that it would sound a bit strange or incomplete to omit "for," as in: Mark to join the team is all you need.

Thank you.

 

[mmasny]

This is not my question, but I'd like to thank you anyway. I think you do a great job on this forum, TheParser.

 

[TheParser]

This is not my question, but I'd like to thank you anyway. I think you do a great job on this forum, TheParser.

Thank you, mmasny, for your kind note. I know that everyone is impressed by your serious questions and helpful answers.

 

[Barb_D]

I would suggest that the "for" is necessary because it's what makes it a noun phrase.

For Mark to join the team -- a noun phrase.
For Mark to join the team would be a good thing.
For Mark to join the team would take a miracle.
For Mark to join the team is exactly what you need.

You don't just need Mark. You need him to join the team.

If you want to leave out the "for" then you need to make the "joining" the noun.

All you need is Mark's joining the team [for a successful project].