Grammar-Quizzes › Adverbials › Prepositional Phrases › For vs. Since
For vs. Since
Express duration with a quantity of time vs. a starting time
For vs. Since
| FOR + QUANTITY PHRASE |
|---|
For expresses that something (activity, action, state) happened with duration. For is followed by a noun phrase with a quantity of time. A prepositional phrase with for commonly occurs with a verb in the present perfect (and other tenses). The activity may be ending or may extend to the future. |
| FOCUS ON QUANTITY OF TIME |
|
| PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE |
We have been coming to this beach for five years. (ongoing, may extend) |
We have been enjoying this paradise for a week. |
We have been swimming for three hours. |
| PRESENT PERFECT |
We have come to this beach for five years. (up to now, may end) |
We have enjoyed this paradise for a week. |
We haven't been here for three years. (quantity) We haven't been here in¹ years. (period) |
| PAST |
We came to this beach for five years. (visits ended) *We stayed there for five years long². (not used) |
| PRESENT |
We staying here for an hour or two. (scheduled time) |
| FUTURE |
We will stay here for an hour or two. (intended time) |
| SINCE + STARTING POINT |
|---|
Since expresses that something (activity, action, state) happened with duration. Since is followed by a noun phrase (NP) or clause with a specific time, a starting time for the activity. Since commonly occurs with a verb in the present perfect or past perfect. The activity may be ending or may extend. |
| FOCUS ON STARTING TIME |
|
| PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE |
We have been coming to this beach since hearing about it last year. (Ger Cls) |
We have been enjoying this beach since our arrival this morning. (NP) |
We have been swimming since we arrived this morning. (Cls) |
| PRESENT PERFECT |
We have planned our summers here since June 2012. (NP) *We have planned our summers here since five years ago³. |
We haven't checked our messages since last Saturday. (NP) |
We haven't been here since last year. (starting point of period) We haven't been here in¹ a year. (period) |
| PAST [NOT USED] |
*We came to this beach since June 1. |
| PRESENT [NOT USED] |
*We are staying here since Tuesday. (the verb is present but the timing is past) |
| FUTURE [NOT USED] |
*We will stay here since two o'clock. (the verb is future but the timing is past) |
¹for vs. in —For (quantity of time) is similar to in (a period of time); however for can be followed by a more precise time. We drove to New York in four days. (How long did it take? It took us four days to drive to New York.) We drove to New York for four days. (Ambiguous: How long did the drive last? How long will the New York stay last?)
² five years long – another way to express duration is with long (X time in length); however, it cannot be used with for. Instead use: Their stay was five years long. Their five-year long stay ended suddenly when their visa was revoked. However, we can say They stayed for five long years. (The modifier "long" expresses how the person experienced the years. The years were much too long and, perhaps, challenging.)
³ since five years ago — (1) An expression of duration is not used for a past event. If a past event is relevant to something happening in the present, then the present perfect is used. (2) It sounds very awkward to use present perfect and "since…ago" in this prepositional phrase. Instead use for five years or since 2015 with present perfect tense.
Time Expressions
Quantity vs. Specific
Expressions for Quantity of Time & Specific Time
| A QUANTITY | |
|---|---|
A quantity of time includes a unit of time: a minute, hour, week, month, etc. It may also include a modifier such as now or so far, long, short, a few,many, several, these past few, these past several |
|
fifteen minutes |
a quarter of an hour |
forty eight hours |
several hours |
two days |
a couple of days |
a week |
seven days now |
a month |
a month so far |
two years |
two long years (long or short) |
two summers |
two summers ago |
two centuries |
these past few years (last few) |
| A SPECIFIC TIME | |
|---|---|
A specific time is stated as an hour, date, year, century or era. It may also include a modifier such as last, the beginning of, the end of, the middle of. *Informally, since occurs with a quantity of time and ago. |
|
7:45 a.m. (seven forty-five) |
a quarter to eight |
April 4, 2010 |
the day before yesterday |
June 15 |
the middle of June |
last week |
the end of the week / the weekend |
July |
last July |
2020 |
the war, the depression (event) |
spring, summer, fall, winter |
a week ago *See note. |
the beginning of the 21st century |
he called (Since can introduce a clause.) |
*Ago (Adj) is more commonly used with the past tense. "We went there a year ago."
For
Additional Meanings
FOR – Additional Meanings
| VARIANT MEANING | EXAMPLES |
|---|---|
HELP SOMEONE (PP) |
I called a taxi for them. Open the door for him. What else can I do for you? |
PURPOSE (PP) |
I run for exercise. |
INTENDED USE (PP) |
This towel is for dishes. This knife is for cutting bread.. |
IN REGARDS TO (PP) |
Smoking is bad for one's health. |
IN FAVOR OF (PP) |
I'm for shortening the school year. (in favor of reducing the number of days of attendance) |
IN EXCHANGE FOR (PP) |
She works in their home for room and board. (as payment for a room and food) |
IN PLACE OF (PP) |
Margarine is a substitute for butter. |
SUCCESS RATIO (PP) |
The batter was two for four. (used to indicate the number of successes out of a specified number of attempts) |
BECAUSE, SEEING (Adv) |
He left, for he had no reason to stay. (coordinating conjunction; uncommonly used) |
IN THE DIRECTION OF (PP) |
He got on his horse and headed for the border. (occasionally used as an preposition of place or direction) |
FOREVER (PP) |
He left for good. |
BECAUSE (linking Adv) |
The dog was scruffy and thin, for he had no home. |
[no meaning] (subordinator) |
He hates for us to be late. (For us is the subject of the infinitive clause.) See Infinitive Cls w/Subj. |
Since
Additional Meanings
SINCE – Additional Meanings
| VARIANT MEANING | EXAMPLES |
|---|---|
BECAUSE, IN AS MUCH AS (PP) |
Since you are here early, you might as well help. (reason; often used at the beginning of a sentence) |
AFTER THAT TIME UNTIL NOW (PP) |
He hasn't called since he left. (adjunct prepositional phrase) |
FROM THAT TIME UNTIL NOW (PP) |
He has been talking on the phone since he got home. |
FROM THAT TIME UNTIL NOW (Adv,P) |
We met two years ago and have been roommates ever since. |
SUBSEQUENTLY; AFTER (Adv) |
At first she didn't want her daughter to marry him, but has since agreed to it. (an unspecific time between past and present) |
A LONG TIME AGO (Adv) |
I have long since agreed to his independence |
Grammatical Functions and Categories: N – noun / pronoun; NP – noun phrase; V – verb; VP – verb phrase; Adv – adverb; PP – prepositional phrase
Also see Prep Uses–Adjuncts.
Common Mistakes
Errors and Solutions
Error and Solution
| ERROR |
|---|
We've been swimming there since ten years ago. (Not incorrect but awkward and wordy.)
|
I have been working as an assistant for the summertime. |
| SOLUTION |
|---|
We have been swimming there for ten years. Simplify by using for before a quantity of time and delete ago. We have been swimming there since 1998. Simplify by using since before a specific time and delete ago. A phrase with [quantity of time + ago] qualifies as a specific time in the past; however, it is not in common usage by native speakers because it is wordy. |
I have been working as an assistant this summer. (unspecific period within the season) |
Practice 1
Tourism in the Beach Resorts
Stating experience with for and since.
- Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
- Compare your response to the feedback by clicking the "Check 1-10" button at the bottom, or click the "Check" button to the left as you go.
Practice 2
Daniel's Whereabouts
Read for Errors
We haven't seen Daniel for many, many years. He was a child when we last saw him. In fact, we haven't seen him since five years ago. His family moved to Arizona for while his father was working there.
They have been there since the time when his father started the new job. We're really glad to see him again, and we hope he'll stay for a while.
Correct or Incorrect?
- Select a response correct or incorrect.
- Compare your response to the feedback by clicking the "Check 11-20" button at the bottom, or click the "Check" button to the left as you go.
Practice 3
Leaving Home
Expressions with for and since.
- Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
- Compare your response to the feedback by clicking the "Check 16-22" button at the bottom, or click the "Check" button to the left as you go.