Phrasal verb
work for sb/sth
Definition
phrasal verb. To have a job at a company or to be employed by a person.
phrasal verb. To be in the employment of a specific person, company, or organization. This is a prepositional verb where 'for' introduces the employer.
Examples
“He works for a large software company.”
“After university, she began working for a non-profit organization that helps the homeless.”
“The engineer, who had previously worked for a major aerospace contractor, brought a wealth of specialized knowledge to the small startup.”
Examples
simple
“He works for a large software company.”
contextual
“After university, she began working for a non-profit organization that helps the homeless.”
complex
“The engineer, who had previously worked for a major aerospace contractor, brought a wealth of specialized knowledge to the small startup.”
Usage
The object following 'for' is the employer, which can be a person, company, or organization.
Teaching tip
Contrast with 'work on' (a project), 'work with' (colleagues), and 'work as' (a job title, e.g., 'work as a designer').
Pitfall
She works at the government.
She works for the government.
Use 'for' to name the employer; 'at' is typically used for the specific location (e.g., 'work at the main office').
Phrasal verb
Particles
for
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
work + for + object