Public Services and Procurement Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Institutional Links

 

Important notice

Writing Tips has been archived and won’t be updated before it is permanently deleted.

For the most up-to-date content, please consult Writing Tips Plus, which combines content from Writing Tips and The Canadian Style. And don’t forget to update your bookmarks!

Search Canada.ca
To begin your search, go to the alphabetical index below and click on the first letter of the word you are searching for.

provide against, provide for, provide with

The verb provide can be followed by the prepositions against, for and with.

The expression provide against means to prepare for a possible difficulty or disaster.

  • Special provisions were made to provide against a potential earthquake.

The expression provide for has a similar meaning.

  • They gathered many supplies to provide for an emergency.

For can also be used after the verb provide to introduce the person receiving what is provided. The pattern is provide + direct object + for + receiver(s).

  • Aid organizations provided food and water for the victims of the earthquake.

With is used after the verb provide to introduce whatever is being provided. The pattern is provide + indirect object (receiver) + with + item(s) provided.

  • Susan provided him with all of the information that he needed to write the report.