ENGLISH
REFERENCE

head for

phr. v..
B1 Intermediate Oxford General-service

phr. v.. to move in a particular direction or toward a specific place.

phr. v.. to move toward a destination or a specific state of affairs; the particle 'for' indicates the intended goal or direction.


SIMPLE

We should head for the station now.

CONTEXTUAL

If the rain starts, everyone will head for the nearest shelter.

COMPLEX

The company is heading for a financial crisis if they do not reduce their spending immediately.

Particles
for
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
head + for + object
Usage

usually followed by a physical destination or a figurative outcome.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'head to' (which focuses on the destination itself) versus 'head for' (which often implies the start of the journey or a needed destination).

Pitfall

They headed for to the beach.They headed for the beach.the preposition 'for' already indicates direction, so 'to' is redundant and incorrect.

© 2026 English Reference