Today we will practice 41 look for sentences! These will help you naturally talk about searching in English. Can’t find something? Want to locate your car keys or even buy a new type of shampoo? “Look for” is the phrasal verb that you need! Follow these examples and see just how native English speakers use this common, everyday expression!
Today you will learn:
- The meaning of “look for”
- How to use look for in the present, past, & future
- 3 handy look for synonyms
Look for meaning
“Look for” means to actively search or seek out something or someone. This phrasal verb implies a purposeful action of trying to find or locate a particular object, information, or individual. Think of your car keys, the remote control, or your wallet. If you can not find them, you need to look for them. It often involves scanning or exploring an area, paying attention to details, and being observant so that we can get what we want.
Related: 75 English Sentences With For You Need to Know
Look for sentences: Let’s use the present continuous
The present continuous tense is very useful for describing things we are doing right at this minute. To make a look for sentence in the present continuous, we need to add “ing” to the verb “look”. Here are 15 look for sentences that use this handy verb tense!
- I am looking for my keys before leaving the house.
- Sarah is looking for her favorite book on the shelf.
- We are looking for opportunities to learn and grow.
- They are looking for a quiet place to study.
- He is looking for his phone in his backpack.
- She is looking for a new recipe to try for dinner.
- The children are looking for hidden treasures in the garden.
- We are looking for a parking spot near the entrance.
- The teachers are looking for clues as to who broke the classroom window.
- Roland is looking for his missing socks in the laundry basket.
- I am looking for a good movie to watch tonight, any suggestions?
- They are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint.
- Pat is looking for a reliable plumber to fix the leak.
- We are looking for a new restaurant to try this weekend.
- The team is looking for innovative solutions to the problem.
Related: 35 Super Examples Of For Instance In A Sentence
Look for sentences: Let’s use the past tense
The past tense is very useful for describing things we were doing earlier on. To make a look for sentence in the past tense, we need to used “ed” endings. (looked for) Here are 15 look for sentences that use this essential verb tense!
- I looked for my cash, and finally found it in my jacket pocket.
- Sarah looked for her favorite game on the shelf, but couldn’t spot it.
- I looked for opportunities to get promoted at work.
- They looked for a quiet place to meditate and ended up in the park.
- Jason looked for his English dictionary in his backpack, but it wasn’t there!
- Eve looked for a new hairstyle to try out.
- They looked for their ball – it had gone over the garden fence.
- We looked for a new pair of jeans in the discount store.
- The police looked for the suspect in a nearby park.
- He looked for his missing shoes at school but couldn’t find them.
- I looked for a good TV show to watch last night but ended up watching the news instead.
- Mr. Smith looked for ways to lose a few pounds.
- Sam looked for a reliable electrician to fix the faulty wires in his living room.
- We looked for a new bbq spot to try last weekend and stumbled upon a charming park.
- I looked for my hair gel everywhere but could not find it!
Look for sentences: Let’s use the future tense
The future tenses are very handy for describing things we plan to do. To make a look for sentence in the future, we need to add “will” or “going to” to our sentences. Here are 15 look for sentences that use this important structure!
- I will look for my keys before leaving the house.
- Laura will be looking for a new job after graduation, I think.
- Will you look for a suitable gift for the manager’s birthday?
- They are going to look for a larger apartment next year.
- Tomorrow, Jim will look for a recipe online to make for dinner.
- We’ll need to look for a reliable contractor for our home renovation project.
- The team is planning to look for sponsors for their upcoming event.
- I’m sure Stacey’ll look for opportunities to travel abroad in the future.
- They will look for a dog sitter while they go on vacation, I heard.
- Next week, I will look for a new book to read during my vacation.
- I need a new hat as summer is on the way. I think I’ll look for one at the mall this weekend.
Look for synonyms: Expand your vocabulary
Here are 3 look for synonyms, along with definitions.
| Look for synonym | Meaning | Used in a sentence |
| Seek | To attempt to find or discover something | Sarah is seeking a new job with better career prospects |
| Search | To explore or examine carefully in order to find something | The police conducted a thorough search of the premises for any evidence |
| Hunt | To actively pursue or search for something or someone | We went on a hike to hunt for wild berries in the forest |
Use these look for synonyms to make your own sentences!
About for: Frequently asked English questions
Here are some common questions that I get asked when teaching the word “for”, and its synonyms.
How do you use the phrase looking for in a meaningful sentence?
You can use the phrase “looking for” to express the action of searching or seeking something. For example, “I am looking for a new apartment,” or “She is looking for a job in the marketing field.”
What is the antonym of look for?
The antonym of “look for” is “give up.” For example, “After searching for hours, I finally gave up looking for my missing keys.”
What is the act of looking for something?
The act of looking for something is commonly referred to as “searching” or “seeking.” It is often used in English conversation as an answer, for example:
A: What are you doing? B: I’m looking for my wallet. Have you seen it anywhere?
What type of verb is look for?
The verb “look for” is a phrasal verb. Specifically, it is a combination of the verb “look” and the preposition “for” that together create a new meaning.
What does look for him mean?
“Looking for him means trying to find where he is or what he’s up to.” For instance, if your dog goes missing, you might round your friends up to look for him.
Is look always a verb?
“Look” can function as both a verb and a noun. As a verb, it refers to the action of directing one’s gaze or paying attention visually. As a noun, it can refer to an act of looking or a facial expression.
- As a verb: “Look at the beautiful sunset.”
- As a noun: “Take a look at this!”
What does I’m looking for someone mean?
“I’m looking for someone” means I’m trying to find a specific person. It’s like I’m actively searching or keeping an eye out for them, hoping to locate or connect with them. It’s kind of like a personal quest to track them down and get in touch.
Where do we use look forward?
We use the phrase “look forward” when expressing anticipation or excitement about something in the future.
It is commonly used to convey the idea of eagerly anticipating an upcoming event, experience, or opportunity.
Examples:
- I’m looking forward to our vacation next week.
- She is looking forward to starting her new job.
Look for sentences: Past, present, and future!
I hope you have enjoyed checking out these 41 look for sentences! We have not only looked at past tense variations, but also present and future, so you’ll know exactly what to say next time someone asks you what you’re doing, or what you were up to!