On this website, they have the sentence:
Would you like for your food to be warmed?
It make me wonder if it'd be just fine to say:
Would you like your food to be warmed?
Or maybe the for is necessary?
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1[It made me wonder whether it is alright to say].– LambieCommented Feb 1, 2022 at 16:58
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1I would say Would you like your food warmed? or the slightly more polite Would you prefer your food warmed?.– mdeweyCommented Feb 1, 2022 at 17:02
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1No, including for is not idiomatic English.– Kate BuntingCommented Feb 1, 2022 at 17:38
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1@KateBunting Including "for" sounds fine to these American ears. Searching Google Books I got several hits for such a construction: google.com/…– MarcInManhattanCommented Feb 1, 2022 at 18:50
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1@MarcInManhattan I'm with Kate. Idiomatic American it may be but idiomatic English it ain't. Leaves me feeling quite faint.– Ronald SoleCommented Feb 1, 2022 at 20:50
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1 Answer
It is fine to use either form of the sentence, but on the basis that it's usually better to use fewer words in English, many would say "Would you like your food to be warmed" is better.
According to a comment on this question "like for" used to be a Southern US English idiom that has spread through North America. I have certainly come across it in Canada and in the media.
Edit: additional details
There are other words that appear to behave in the same way in constructions like this.
"I prefer for my dogs to be trained."
"I intend for my weekend to be relaxed."
I presume it has come about due to words used in similar contexts that require 'for' in certain contexts.
"I hope for a satisfactory outcome."
is not the same as
"I hope a satisfactory outcome ..."
as the second example is an incomplete sentence that requires additional words to make sense (for example "I hope a satisfactory outcome happens this week.").
