"to check" or "to check for" (2025)

Hi all.

I often find in technical literature things like this:

Perhaps the most elegant solution is to check for the sign of the sum and compare it against the signs of the numbers added.

The meaning is clear to me. However, I've looked it up in the dictionary and I haven't found any example sentence showing "to check for". Is it correct? Wouldn't "to check" just suffice?

Thanks and regards.

kyuss said:

Hi all.

I often find in technical literature things like this:

Perhaps the most elegant solution is to check for the sign of the sum and compare it against the signs of the numbers added.

The meaning is clear to me. However, I've looked it up in the dictionary and I haven't found any example sentence showing "to check for". Is it correct? Wouldn't "to check" just suffice?

Thanks and regards.

Click to expand...

In your sample sentence, I believe that "to check" is the verb, and "for the sign" is an adverbial phrase, telling where/what to check. Therefore, the "for" doesn't go with "check".

A similar situation may be found in the following: I am going to tell on you! "Am going" is the verb, not "am going to".

Hope this helps.

kyuss said:

Hi all.

I often find in technical literature things like this:

Perhaps the most elegant solution is to check for the sign of the sum and compare it against the signs of the numbers added.

The meaning is clear to me. However, I've looked it up in the dictionary and I haven't found any example sentence showing "to check for". Is it correct? Wouldn't "to check" just suffice?

Thanks and regards.

Click to expand...

I think you are correct. We use to check for when you are looking for something in particular, whereas we we use to check when you are correcting, validating or approving something. E.g:

Will you check for mistakes in my Spanish essay?

Will you check my Spanish essay and tell me if there are any mistakes?

Does this help?

dave said:

I think you are correct. We use to check for when you are looking for something in particular, whereas we we use to check when you are correcting, validating or approving something.

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Agreed. I think your sentence should be "check the sign", not "check for the sign".

"to check" -- to correct; also to make a check mark
"to check for" -- to verify the existance of

Rob625 said:

'Write me' is American. In British English we say 'write to me'.

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I would definitely say: "Write me when you get the chance". But I do think "to" is left out, so if I were writing more formally, I think I'd add "to". I've never thought about it before, but "write me" seems sloppy. I'd be interested to know if anyone can find something more "official".

Added to this thread. Nat, Moderator

In the following sentence, which one is correct?

Can you please check for my grammatical mistakes in my essay?
Can you please check my grammatical mistakes in my essay?

I would use one of the following:

Can you please check for grammatical mistakes in my essay?
Can you please check my essay for grammatical mistakes?

The Newt said:

I would use one of the following:

Can you please check for grammatical mistakes in my essay?
Can you please check my essay for grammatical mistakes?

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What is the difference between check and check for?

brown poodle said:

What is the difference between check and check for?

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"Check for" means find or identify, which is what you want (regardless of where the word "for" appears). "Check" is vaguer; it just means look at, with what your looking for left unsaid.

SwissPete said:

"Your" or "You're"?

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"You're looking for..." Thanks!

kyuss said:

Hi all.

I often find in technical literature things like this:

Perhaps the most elegant solution is to check for the sign of the sum and compare it against the signs of the numbers added.

The meaning is clear to me. However, I've looked it up in the dictionary and I haven't found any example sentence showing "to check for". Is it correct? Wouldn't "to check" just suffice?

Thanks and regards.

Click to expand...

Gwyyen? VIETNAMESE

dave said:

I think you are correct. We use to check for when you are looking for something in particular, whereas we we use to check when you are correcting, validating or approving something. E.g:

Will you check forWill you check for mistakes in my Spanish essay?

Will you check my Spanish essay and tell me if there are any mistakes?

Does this help?

Click to expand...

gaer said:

I would definitely say: "Write me when you get the chance". But I do think "to" is left out, so if I were writing more formally, I think I'd add "to". I've never thought about it before, but "write me" seems sloppy. I'd be interested to know if anyone can find something more "official".

Click to expand...

Gwyyen Asked about " check for" as in he gave her a check for. "....In this context..it means the check wad a form of payment. The check is from a bank...it is written for a monetary amount. Top portion has writer's information ( Full name sometimes address)
Next on the line that indicates " pay to the order of" owner of the check will write in the receivers name. First name and Surname.small box to the right , there you Wright numbers indicating How many dollars it ( the check) is for. i.e. ($50.00) the long line just before the small box is to write out the amount in words ie. (Fifty dollars and no cents)

sunnyweather said:

Could you check it (e.g. my assignment) for mistakes?
Can't we use the pronoun 'it" after 'check'?

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You can. As long as your listener knows what a pronoun like it or this refers to, you can use it after the verb check.