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Let's say there is a traveler who wanted to book a bus trip to go a tourist spot.

Customer: Hello, I want to book a trip to go to XYZ tourist spot.

Agent: Sure, what date do you want to book this for?

My question is, why do you have to include the preposition "for" at the end when it is relatively ok to not include that?

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    I think you mean What reason might you have (for including the preposition)?, given that you know it's "relatively ok" not to.
    – FumbleFingers
    Dec 20, 2019 at 13:34

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It aligns with the idea that the booking is "for" a particularly date, i.e. the booking belongs to, or is intended to belong to, that date. (It is similar to buying a gift "for" its recipient.)

If we removed "for":

Sure, what date do you want to book this?

This would actually refer to the date on which the booking was made, i.e. the current date in your example, as opposed to the date the booking was actually for.

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  • +1 Yeah. Without the for you could reply I'd like to book [it] today please! or I'll phone back tomorrow to make the booking!
    – Smock
    Dec 20, 2019 at 16:05
  • (1) "When do you want to book this?" (2) "On what date do you want to book this?" Both of those sound more natural than either presented version.
    – Jason Bassford
    Dec 23, 2019 at 18:27

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