Usage of “For” in “How long are you trapped FOR?”












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What's the difference between "How long are you trapped FOR the last time?" versus "How long are you trapped the last time?" This is a question from a dialogue between two persons who are stuck in an elevator. I can't seem to understand why FOR was added after trapped...










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  • If he's still trapped he likely doesn't know how long.
    – Hot Licks
    Jun 3 '16 at 12:19
















0














What's the difference between "How long are you trapped FOR the last time?" versus "How long are you trapped the last time?" This is a question from a dialogue between two persons who are stuck in an elevator. I can't seem to understand why FOR was added after trapped...










share|improve this question
























  • If he's still trapped he likely doesn't know how long.
    – Hot Licks
    Jun 3 '16 at 12:19














0












0








0


1





What's the difference between "How long are you trapped FOR the last time?" versus "How long are you trapped the last time?" This is a question from a dialogue between two persons who are stuck in an elevator. I can't seem to understand why FOR was added after trapped...










share|improve this question















What's the difference between "How long are you trapped FOR the last time?" versus "How long are you trapped the last time?" This is a question from a dialogue between two persons who are stuck in an elevator. I can't seem to understand why FOR was added after trapped...







prepositions






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edited 17 mins ago









Laurel

31.6k660112




31.6k660112










asked Jun 3 '16 at 8:04









marscemarsce

1




1












  • If he's still trapped he likely doesn't know how long.
    – Hot Licks
    Jun 3 '16 at 12:19


















  • If he's still trapped he likely doesn't know how long.
    – Hot Licks
    Jun 3 '16 at 12:19
















If he's still trapped he likely doesn't know how long.
– Hot Licks
Jun 3 '16 at 12:19




If he's still trapped he likely doesn't know how long.
– Hot Licks
Jun 3 '16 at 12:19










1 Answer
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There is no difference in meaning, but the sentence has another problem.



If you're talking about an event in the past, you want to use were instead of are. 'Are' would imply the person is currently trapped, but saying "the last time" makes it clear the event has passed. So, the sentence should read either:



"How long were you trapped the last time?"



OR



"How long were you trapped for the last time?"



Finally, if you are talking about about a trap currently ongoing (e.g. "How long are you grounded?"), adding 'for' again makes no difference to meaning, and you'd be free to use it/drop it from the sentence ("How long are you grounded for?") as you see fit, although the second is a bit less common, as it is not usual to end a sentence with a preposition.



See: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/ending-a-sentence-with-a-preposition






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  • Actually, "How long were you trapped for the last time?" suggests that the respondent somehow knows that it was the last (of several) "trappings", or it suggests that the interrogator is losing his temper. Dropping "for" eliminates these possible interpretations.
    – Hot Licks
    Jun 3 '16 at 22:28










  • I would argue that those possible interpretations (foreknowledge of number of trappings) still exists regardless of which of the two phrasings is used - it's the "last time" part that is most suspect there. But I can see what you mean.
    – Rome_Leader
    Jun 4 '16 at 13:35













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1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes








1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes









1














There is no difference in meaning, but the sentence has another problem.



If you're talking about an event in the past, you want to use were instead of are. 'Are' would imply the person is currently trapped, but saying "the last time" makes it clear the event has passed. So, the sentence should read either:



"How long were you trapped the last time?"



OR



"How long were you trapped for the last time?"



Finally, if you are talking about about a trap currently ongoing (e.g. "How long are you grounded?"), adding 'for' again makes no difference to meaning, and you'd be free to use it/drop it from the sentence ("How long are you grounded for?") as you see fit, although the second is a bit less common, as it is not usual to end a sentence with a preposition.



See: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/ending-a-sentence-with-a-preposition






share|improve this answer























  • Actually, "How long were you trapped for the last time?" suggests that the respondent somehow knows that it was the last (of several) "trappings", or it suggests that the interrogator is losing his temper. Dropping "for" eliminates these possible interpretations.
    – Hot Licks
    Jun 3 '16 at 22:28










  • I would argue that those possible interpretations (foreknowledge of number of trappings) still exists regardless of which of the two phrasings is used - it's the "last time" part that is most suspect there. But I can see what you mean.
    – Rome_Leader
    Jun 4 '16 at 13:35


















1














There is no difference in meaning, but the sentence has another problem.



If you're talking about an event in the past, you want to use were instead of are. 'Are' would imply the person is currently trapped, but saying "the last time" makes it clear the event has passed. So, the sentence should read either:



"How long were you trapped the last time?"



OR



"How long were you trapped for the last time?"



Finally, if you are talking about about a trap currently ongoing (e.g. "How long are you grounded?"), adding 'for' again makes no difference to meaning, and you'd be free to use it/drop it from the sentence ("How long are you grounded for?") as you see fit, although the second is a bit less common, as it is not usual to end a sentence with a preposition.



See: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/ending-a-sentence-with-a-preposition






share|improve this answer























  • Actually, "How long were you trapped for the last time?" suggests that the respondent somehow knows that it was the last (of several) "trappings", or it suggests that the interrogator is losing his temper. Dropping "for" eliminates these possible interpretations.
    – Hot Licks
    Jun 3 '16 at 22:28










  • I would argue that those possible interpretations (foreknowledge of number of trappings) still exists regardless of which of the two phrasings is used - it's the "last time" part that is most suspect there. But I can see what you mean.
    – Rome_Leader
    Jun 4 '16 at 13:35
















1












1








1






There is no difference in meaning, but the sentence has another problem.



If you're talking about an event in the past, you want to use were instead of are. 'Are' would imply the person is currently trapped, but saying "the last time" makes it clear the event has passed. So, the sentence should read either:



"How long were you trapped the last time?"



OR



"How long were you trapped for the last time?"



Finally, if you are talking about about a trap currently ongoing (e.g. "How long are you grounded?"), adding 'for' again makes no difference to meaning, and you'd be free to use it/drop it from the sentence ("How long are you grounded for?") as you see fit, although the second is a bit less common, as it is not usual to end a sentence with a preposition.



See: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/ending-a-sentence-with-a-preposition






share|improve this answer














There is no difference in meaning, but the sentence has another problem.



If you're talking about an event in the past, you want to use were instead of are. 'Are' would imply the person is currently trapped, but saying "the last time" makes it clear the event has passed. So, the sentence should read either:



"How long were you trapped the last time?"



OR



"How long were you trapped for the last time?"



Finally, if you are talking about about a trap currently ongoing (e.g. "How long are you grounded?"), adding 'for' again makes no difference to meaning, and you'd be free to use it/drop it from the sentence ("How long are you grounded for?") as you see fit, although the second is a bit less common, as it is not usual to end a sentence with a preposition.



See: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/ending-a-sentence-with-a-preposition







share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited Jun 3 '16 at 12:27

























answered Jun 3 '16 at 12:14









Rome_LeaderRome_Leader

1,3341918




1,3341918












  • Actually, "How long were you trapped for the last time?" suggests that the respondent somehow knows that it was the last (of several) "trappings", or it suggests that the interrogator is losing his temper. Dropping "for" eliminates these possible interpretations.
    – Hot Licks
    Jun 3 '16 at 22:28










  • I would argue that those possible interpretations (foreknowledge of number of trappings) still exists regardless of which of the two phrasings is used - it's the "last time" part that is most suspect there. But I can see what you mean.
    – Rome_Leader
    Jun 4 '16 at 13:35




















  • Actually, "How long were you trapped for the last time?" suggests that the respondent somehow knows that it was the last (of several) "trappings", or it suggests that the interrogator is losing his temper. Dropping "for" eliminates these possible interpretations.
    – Hot Licks
    Jun 3 '16 at 22:28










  • I would argue that those possible interpretations (foreknowledge of number of trappings) still exists regardless of which of the two phrasings is used - it's the "last time" part that is most suspect there. But I can see what you mean.
    – Rome_Leader
    Jun 4 '16 at 13:35


















Actually, "How long were you trapped for the last time?" suggests that the respondent somehow knows that it was the last (of several) "trappings", or it suggests that the interrogator is losing his temper. Dropping "for" eliminates these possible interpretations.
– Hot Licks
Jun 3 '16 at 22:28




Actually, "How long were you trapped for the last time?" suggests that the respondent somehow knows that it was the last (of several) "trappings", or it suggests that the interrogator is losing his temper. Dropping "for" eliminates these possible interpretations.
– Hot Licks
Jun 3 '16 at 22:28












I would argue that those possible interpretations (foreknowledge of number of trappings) still exists regardless of which of the two phrasings is used - it's the "last time" part that is most suspect there. But I can see what you mean.
– Rome_Leader
Jun 4 '16 at 13:35






I would argue that those possible interpretations (foreknowledge of number of trappings) still exists regardless of which of the two phrasings is used - it's the "last time" part that is most suspect there. But I can see what you mean.
– Rome_Leader
Jun 4 '16 at 13:35




















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