FOR & SINCE

When talking about times, we use "since" with a point in time (a moment in the past) to say how long we have done something.

"I've known him since I was a child."

"I've lived here since 2004."​

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Since + a point in time

However, if we want to talk about a period of time (from seconds to centuries) we use "for".

"I've worked here for the last ten years."

"I've been friends with him for my whole life."​

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For + a period of time

Most (not all) periods of time can change into a point in time by adding "ago".

Not possible: "my whole life ago"​

And "as long as I can remember" + ago = "as long ago as I can remember"​

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Period of time + ago = point in time

Multiple Choice

I've lived in Munich ____ ten years.

• since

• for

Multiple Choice

I've lived in Munich ____ 2012.

• since

• for

Multiple Choice

I've lived in Munich ____ ten years ago.

• since

• for

Multiple Choice

We've been friends ______________.

• since our whole lives.

• for our whole lives ago.

• since we were children.

• since our whole lives ago.

"We've been friends since we were children."​

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"My whole life ago" doesn't make sense.

The equivalent phrase is "since I was a child."

Multiple Choice

I started working here _____________.

• since ten years ago.

• ten years ago.

• for ten years.

• since ten years.

"I started working here ten years ago."​

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We don't need "since" or "for" when we are talking about the moment something started or happened.

" I moved to London five years ago."

"We met in 1995."​​

Fill in the Blanks

Complete with "for" or "since"

I've been waiting

half an hour.

Fill in the Blanks

Complete with "for" or "since"

I've only lived in this house

a few months.

Fill in the Blanks

Complete with "for" or "since"

They've been making furniture

over a hundred years.

Fill in the Blanks

Complete with "for" or "since"

I've been interested in working here

I heard about your company.

Fill in the Blanks

Complete with "for" or "since"

He has owned his own company

he was thirty.

Fill in the Blanks

Complete with "for" or "since"

They've been married

twenty-five years.

Fill in the Blanks

Complete with "for" or "since"

I haven't seen you

we left school.

Fill in the Blanks

Complete with "for" or "since"

She's been here

as long as I have (been here).

Fill in the Blanks

Re-write this as one sentence with "for" or "since":

"I live in London. I moved here in 2015."

(there is more than one "right" answer)

Fill in the Blanks

Re-write this as one sentence with "for" or "since":

"I lived in London between 2010 and 2015."

(there is only one "right" answer)

​Congratulations, you made it to the end.

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You can repeat this slideshow as many times as you like.

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