Grammar: for and since

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/149_gramchallenge25/


FOR AND SINCE

FOR
We use for when we mention the length of time:

for

24 hours. two days. three hundred years. a few years.

Some extra information about for 
It is possible to leave out the word for in positive sentences. For example: "I've lived here for seven years." / "I've lived here seven years." Both are perfectly correct.

But in negative sentences we almost always use for.

"She hasn't seen him six months" is wrong. "She hasn't seen him for six months" is correct.

With expressions like all morning, all my life or all day, we never use for:

"He's lived there all his life," not "He's lived there for all his life."

SINCE
We use 'since' when we mention a point in time in the past when something started:

since

yesterday morning . 1707. I was at university. they moved to London. he left home.

For and since
We use for and since to talk about how long something has been happening:
Example 1: for five years
Example 2: since they opened in building in 1987
Example 3: for six months
We use for when we mention a period of time. For example:
Examples
for a long time for a second for two minutes
for years for ages for three days
It is possible to leave out the word for. For example:
"I've lived here for seven years" is the same as saying "I've lived here seven years." Both 
are perfectly correct. 
But in negative sentences, we almost always use for:
"She hasn't seen him six months" is wrong. Instead we'd say "She hasn't seen him for six 
months." 
And with expressions like all morning, all my life or all day, we never use for:
"He's lived there all his life" not "He's lived there for all his life." 
We use since when we mention a point in time in the past, when something began. For
example:
Examples
since 2003 since last January since 4 o'clock
since July since breakfast time since the war BBC Learning English 

So, to recap. We use for and since to talk about how long something has been happening.
We use for with a period of time and we use since with a point in time.

For and since

Exercise 1:

Match the beginnings of the sentences to the most suitable endings.

1. She's been a teacher for ……… three years at that school.

2. My grandparents have been married since……..1940 and they're still really in love!

3. I've hated vegetables since I …….. was a child.

4. He's had that car for years…………. but it still looks new.

5. I haven't seen her since we  ………… were at school together.

6. We've been living in Tokyo ……….. since the early 90s and we still haven't learnt the language.

7. I've been waiting …….for you for hours!

8. I've known her since we were …………….. children together.

Exercise 2:

Penny is being interviewed for a job. Some of the words of the questions and answers are

missing.

Interviewer: How long have you been working in sales?

Penny: (1) ___since_______ 2002.

Interviewer: And I see you've been working in London (2) ___for_______five years. Is

that right?

Penny: Yes, I've been here (3) ___since_______ I graduated.

Interviewer: And what about other languages. Can you speak any?

Penny: Well, my mother's Italian so I've been able to speak Italian (4) ___since_______

I was a little girl. I learnt French at school so I've been able to speak that

(5) ______for____ more than 10 years.

Interviewer: Now, I presume you're used to working with computers?

Penny: Oh yes. I've worked with them (6) ____for______ years.

Interviewer: Now have you got any questions for me?

Penny: Yes. I was wondering how long you've worked here.

Interviewer: Well, I was one of the first people to work here so I've been here (7)

___for_____a very long time. (8) ___since_______ 1982, in fact.

 

Now is your chance to use this week's grammar! 

What are some of the most important aspects of your life? What possessions are important to you? How long have you lived where you live? Tell us about how long you've been doing your jo

One of the most important aspects of my life is my health. I have gone to the gym andgone hiking since I underwent an operation on my stomach 3 years ago. I regard the diaries I have kept since I was a little girl as precious. I have lived where I live for 12 years and I have worked in a bank for 2 years.

My family, especially my husband (we have been married since 1985 and we're still in love), and my work are the most important aspects of my life. The property and the job aren't so important for me but the permit of working and staying in my country are important I've been living in Kerman for 17 years, since my child was born. I am an economist researcher and an activist for children's rights. I have been doing it for 16 years.

I come from Taiwan and  I have lived in Singapore since 2005. I was a Buddhist monk for 15 years in Taiwan. When I was 30 I left my temple, I went to study animation and film production in Australia for 7 years. Now, I have worked part-time designing websites since I graduated. I have a lot of stories and ideas.