English UsageGrammar guide

Good For: Standard Pattern

Good For: Standard Pattern records a directly documented English construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced pattern rather than turning one attested complement into a universal prohibition.

Quick answer

Use “good for” when the complement names the person or thing that receives a beneficial, useful, or positive effect.

Key details

Confusion Familyusage-construction
Rule Familyadjective or complement construction
Termsgood for

Further guidance

Construction

Use “good for” when the complement names the person or thing that receives a beneficial, useful, or positive effect.

Style Boundary

Cambridge documents several “good for” senses; this guide is limited to the beneficial or positive-effect construction and does not replace separate “good at” or approval expressions.

Sources and evidence

Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.

  1. BE GOOD FOR SOMETHING — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Direct Cambridge evidence for good for in the beneficial or positive-effect sense.

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