Phrasal verb
bargain for
Definition
phrasal verb. to expect or prepare for something to happen. You usually use this in the negative when something surprises you.
phrasal verb. to anticipate or take something into account; most frequently used in negative constructions or with 'more than' to indicate an unexpected complication or degree of difficulty.
Examples
“The job was harder than I bargained for.”
“When they bought the old house, they didn't bargain for the expensive roof repairs that were needed.”
“The sudden collapse of the coalition government was more than the political analysts had bargained for during the election cycle.”
Examples
simple
“The job was harder than I bargained for.”
contextual
“When they bought the old house, they didn't bargain for the expensive roof repairs that were needed.”
complex
“The sudden collapse of the coalition government was more than the political analysts had bargained for during the election cycle.”
Usage
almost always used in the past tense or with 'didn't' to describe an unexpected outcome.
Teaching tip
anchor this to the noun 'bargain' (a deal); explain that if you didn't bargain for something, it wasn't part of the 'deal' or plan you expected.
Pitfall
I didn't bargain with the rain.
I didn't bargain for the rain.
use 'for' to mean anticipation; 'bargain with' means to negotiate a price with a person.
Phrasal verb
Particles
for
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
bargain + for + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/bargain-for