for a good

USAGE SUMMARY

'for a good' is not a grammatically correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
However, if used in the right context, you can use the phrase “for the good” in a sentence. For example, "He chose to sacrifice his own needs for the good of his family."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Makes for a good watch.

The New York Times

All for a good story.

Independent

And for a good reason.

The Economist

"All for a good cause," she said.

The New York Times

(See here for a good recent overview).

The New York Times

This is for a good cause.

The New Yorker

It made for a good story.

The New York Times - Sports

We look for a good game".

The New York Times

It went on for a good minute.

The New Yorker

It's all for a good cause.

Independent

SCARLETT made for a good target.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the phrase "for a good" is always followed by a noun to create a grammatically correct expression such as "for a good reason" or "for a good cause".

Common error

Avoid using "for a good" as a standalone phrase. It needs to be completed with a noun or adjective + noun to make sense. For example, instead of saying "It's for a good", say "It's for a good cause."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "for a good" functions primarily as a prepositional phrase that typically modifies a noun. As noted by Ludwig AI, it is not grammatically complete on its own and requires a following noun (e.g., "reason", "cause", "time") to form a meaningful expression.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

39%

Wiki

37%

Science

24%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the fragment "for a good" itself is grammatically incomplete, it frequently appears as the start of common and acceptable longer phrases. These longer phrases fulfill the purpose of introducing reasons, causes or justification. Sources indicate its prevalent use in News & Media, Wiki articles, and scientific writing, but Ludwig AI suggests that it requires completion with a noun for grammatical correctness. Consider the context, ensure a noun follows, and choose a more precise alternative for formal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

for a decent

Substitutes "good" with "decent", implying an acceptable but not necessarily outstanding quality.

for a valid

Replaces "good" with "valid", emphasizing legitimacy or justification.

for a notable

Replaces "good" with "notable", suggesting something worthy of attention or recognition.

for a useful

Swaps "good" with "useful", focusing on practicality and functionality.

for a competent

Uses "competent" instead of "good", highlighting skill and ability.

for an adequate

Uses "adequate" to express something sufficient or satisfactory. Because it starts with a vowel, the article changes from 'a' to 'an'.

for a substantial

Employs "substantial" to indicate a considerable amount or degree of something.

for a distinguished

Employs "distinguished" to denote excellence and prominence.

for a considerable

Uses "considerable" to suggest something significant or noteworthy.

for a happy

Replaces "good" with "happy", shifting the focus to joy or contentment.

FAQs

How to use "for a good" correctly in a sentence?

The phrase "for a good" requires a noun to follow it, creating a complete and meaningful expression. Examples include "for a good reason", "for a good cause", or "for a good time".

What can I say instead of "for a good reason"?

Alternatives include "with good reason", "justifiably", or "legitimately", depending on the context.

Which is correct, "for a good" or "for the good"?

"For a good" needs to be followed by a noun (e.g., "for a good reason"), while "for the good" is a complete phrase meaning "for the benefit of" (e.g., "for the good of the community").

Is it appropriate to start a sentence with "for a good reason"?

Yes, starting a sentence with "for a good reason" is grammatically correct and can be effective for emphasis or providing context. For example, "For a good reason, the meeting was postponed".