he demands for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he demands for" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct usage would be "he demands" without the preposition "for." Example: "He demands a fair wage for his work."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"They ate some species of 'codfish,' which the Indians... in their ignorance, called toohnah, which in the blahblah language means 'great abundance from the sea.' " The chief of the Micmac Nation is happy to sign on to Smith's canard: in return, he demands, for openers, the entire island of Nantucket, on which to build a casino.

The New Yorker

But in this case, Osborne's wilful blindness to the green economy, despite it ticking every box he demands for every other economic policy, is doing great harm to the "Britain of the future" that he said on Monday he wants to build.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

He demanded, for example, that a job be waiting for each immigrant.

The New York Times

He is now exerting his power because the rebels refused to pay the sum he demanded for his neutrality.

The New York Times

He demanded, for instance, that the meetings of the hitherto permanent sectional assemblies be reduced to two per week.

Encyclopedia Britannica

He demanded, for instance, that the city stop blanketing small businesses with tickets, which he described as "harassment".

The New York Times

Nicknamed "Mr Ten Percent" after the personal commission he demanded for his facilitation of corporate deals, much of his wealth was concealed in offshore accounts.

The Guardian - Sport

He demanded for the ordinary and the damaged not a grudging pity but the full sympathy that recognizes "that we have all of us one human heart".

The New Yorker

He demanded for all men the freedom to follow unique lifestyles, to make poems of their lives and living itself an art.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The punishment he demanded for me was two life sentences – for "treason" and for "acquiring and publishing classified information for the purpose of espionage".

The Guardian - Opinion

He said he demanded, for instance, that Mr. Affleck show up at early strategy meetings in Los Angeles despite a hectic acting schedule.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "he demands for" in formal writing; it's grammatically incorrect. Instead, use "he demands" followed directly by the object of the demand.

Common error

A common mistake is adding a preposition like "for" after "demands". Remember that "demand" takes a direct object, so the preposition is unnecessary and grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he demands for" is an incorrect construction. The verb "demand" is typically transitive, meaning it takes a direct object without needing a preposition. Ludwig AI's analysis suggests this usage deviates from standard English grammar.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Science

34%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "he demands for" is grammatically incorrect in standard English. As Ludwig AI indicates, the verb "demand" is transitive and doesn't require a preposition before its object. While some examples exist, particularly in News & Media and Encyclopedias, it's best to avoid this construction in formal writing. Instead, use "he demands" directly followed by the object of the demand. Alternatives include using synonyms like "he requests" or rephrasing the sentence to maintain grammatical correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he requests

Replaces "demands" with a more polite synonym.

he insists on

Emphasizes the firmness of the request, similar to "demands".

he requires

Indicates a need or necessity, softening the forceful tone of "demands".

he stipulates

Suggests a condition or agreement, implying a formal requirement.

he claims

Indicates an assertion or entitlement, differing from a direct demand.

he asks for

A general way to express a request; more polite and less forceful.

he expects

Implies anticipation of receiving something, rather than a direct demand.

he seeks

Suggests an active pursuit or search for something, diverging from a demand.

he commands

Emphasizes authority and a higher level of power than "demands".

he bids for

Implies a request within a competitive or transactional setting.

FAQs

How should I correctly use "demand" in a sentence?

Use "demand" followed directly by the object of the demand, like in the sentence "He demands an apology."

What is a more polite alternative to "he demands"?

Alternatives include "he requests", "he asks for", or "he seeks", depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "he demands" and "he insists"?

"He demands" implies authority or a strong expectation, while "he insists" suggests persistence or a firm resolve. You could also use "he insists on" followed by a gerund, like "he insists on knowing the truth."

What can I say instead of "he demands for"?

The correct phrase is simply "he demands". For example, instead of "He demands for an explanation", say "He demands an explanation".