Meaning & use
for easy reference
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Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
so that information can be found or checked quickly and easily.
Grammar: Used at the end of a clause or sentence, often after a comma, to give the purpose of writing or arranging something.
Patterns
- put something in a list for easy reference
- keep something for easy reference
- be listed for easy reference
Please write your name at the top of each page for easy reference.
The phone numbers are listed in alphabetical order for easy reference.
I saved the document to my desktop for easy reference during the meeting.
Common combinations
- keep something for easy reference
- Keep this chart for easy reference while you study.
- list something for easy reference
- The guide lists all the terms for easy reference.
- for easy reference, ...
- For easy reference, the answers are printed at the back of the book.
- save something for easy reference
- She saved the recipe for easy reference.
Synonyms and how they differ
- for quick reference
- Very similar, but 'quick' stresses speed rather than simplicity; it is equally common in instructions.
- for future reference
- This means to keep information for a later time, not necessarily to make it easy to find now.
Commonly confused: for easy reference or for reference?
for easy reference vs for reference
'For reference' just means 'to be looked at or mentioned'; 'for easy reference' adds the idea that finding it is simple.
Practice
Choose the best completion: The index at the back of the book lists all the topics ______.
Choose one answer.
'For easy reference' is the fixed phrase meaning 'so they can be found easily'. The other options are not natural English: 'for easy referencing' is not used this way, 'to easy reference' is ungrammatical, and 'for refer easily' breaks the pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “for easy reference”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.