Hi,
I have read this example sentence from Oxford dictionary,
• The problem has come to the fore again in recent months.
However, could I also say this by using “for” instead of “in”?
a) The problem has come to the fore again for recent months.
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I’m afraid this won’t work because “recent” can’t be used with the preposition ‘for’ in the intended sense.
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I don’t think the preposition for can be used. .
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Torsten, in the answer you have given above, do you really mean in? Or, is it a typo?
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You mean the phrase “in the intended sense”?
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No. I actually meant this: preposition ‘in’
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Now, I got it. You are absolutely right, it was a typo which I now have amended. Many thanks for your persistence 
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Hi,
Thank you for your replies.
Hmm, is there any reason why I cannot use the preposition “for” with NP “recent months”?
[Revised on 16th May, 2021: {can} → {cannot} ]
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Well, you can use ‘for’ in connection with ‘recent’ but you would sound awkward and you would be using the preposition incorrectly because “for” should be followed by a period of time, “for 10 years”, “for the last few months”. “Recent months” is not a period of time.
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Let’s put ‘in’ and ‘for’ in context -
During lockdown I haven’t eaten in a restaurant in weeks.
During lockdown I haven’t eaten in a restaurant for weeks.
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Thank you Torsten~! , @Anglophile and @Alan 
I need to brush up my study of English grammar again.
Have a nice Sunday.
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@Alan, it was not the word ‘recent’ that you seem to have considered but the recent time as your context suggests. Perhaps it may have been what the questioner also meant.
Now, coming to the pair of your examples, I’m of the view that in weeks is AmE and for weeks is BrE - both meaning the same! I don’t think you’ll disagree with me.
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Hi Lawrence,
I would never dream of disagreeing with you!
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Hi, teacher.
If you don’t mind, I would like to give you my deepened question, so the thing is “recent months” doesn’t denote a period of time.
You mean I should use “for” with NP consisting of a quantitative adjective and nouns, don’t you?
For instance)
for the recent 3 years.
for the recent few months
Reference to for recent three years | English examples in context | Ludwig
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I am REALLY humbled, Alan!
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(2) … so historical data (available) for the three months are used. (acceptable)
(3) … break-even budgets for the most recent three years; … (acceptable)
(4) Data about the observed accidents at the site for at least the more recent three years … (acceptable)
Now, please compare the following sentences:
I haven’t answered such an intricate question in recent months. (acceptable)
I haven’t answered such an intricate question for many months. (acceptable)
(I hope my interpretation of the semantic nuance makes sense.)
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Wow, thanks a lot.
You have such a good command of English that it is enough to understand me like somebody who lacks deep knowledge of English grammar.
By the way, even though it is a minor question and I am afraid that I might be sidetracked, one of the above sentences should be corrected like this, am I right?
(2) Load includes heating load, electrical load and cooling load. North China has the advantage of existing load information, so historical data for recent three years [are] used.
→ [are] should be corrected to [is]
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Thank you for your compliments.
Note that the word DATA, like MEDIA, is nowadays used as singular by many people. But strictly speaking, both of them are plural as long as their singular forms (DATUM and MEDIUM) are still in existence.
In all honesty, I’d say it depends on how you conceive of it. According to Prof Randolph Quirk eta, “The difference reflects a difference in point of view: the singular stresses the nonpersonal collectivity of the group and the plural stresses the personal individuality within the group.”
(NB: I use eta, not et al, as the shortened form of et alia on the analogy of etc for et cetera)
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Oh, it is kind of a similar concept as the word “staff”.
After taking a close look at your reply, I learned again the word “data” in Longman dictionary.
Now, I am able to catch what you are teaching me.
Thank you sooooo~ much!
from data | Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English에서 data의 어의 | LDOCE
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You are welcome, Sara.
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