[General] Preposition "for"

[ianian]

[FONT=&quot]"We’ve only just started the business of cultural mining. We’re only now starting to extract the true value of culture in a systematic and ambitious way. But there is much to look forward to [/FONT][FONT=&quot]for[/FONT][FONT=&quot], when we get to it, there is enough down there, deep in the often clammy and dark cultural ground, to help us meet the multiple confusions and anxieties of our times."

Is this "for" a correct usage or a typo? Usually we only say "look forward to". Thanks.

ianian[/FONT]

 

[Rover_KE]

In this context, 'for' means 'because'.

It would be clearer with a comma before 'for'.

 

[andrewg927]

No. It is not a typo.

Cross-posted with Rover_KE.

 

[ianian]

Yes, I wouldn't have asked the question if there was a comma.

 

[Rover_KE]

Yes, I wouldn't have asked the question if there had been a comma.

`

 

[ianian]

Thanks, Rover. I do want to ask you about this "has been". When it comes to a link verb (like BE in this case), is past tense OK? In a real verb case, past perfect tense is required, but I do see people using past tense instead of past perfect tense in a link verb (BE) case. I know there is no doubt that HAD BEEN is the correct one, what I am trying to ask is how wrong WAS is in this case. Thanks.

 

[andrewg927]

If you put a comma before "for", you would need to remove the two commas that follow. Otherwise, the sentence would become very confusing.