For and Since: A2 Exercises

Every answer with the reason behind it. Read the explanation for the ones you got right as well — that is where you find out whether you were right for the right reason.

Multiple choice questions — answers

1. I've lived in this city ___ ten years. → for

Ten years is a length of time, so it takes for.

2. She's been ill ___ Monday. → since

Monday is a starting point, so it takes since.

3. We've known each other ___ we were at school. → since

Since can be followed by a whole clause naming when something began.

4. He hasn't eaten anything ___ breakfast. → since

Breakfast names the moment the period started.

5. They've been married ___ nearly thirty years. → for

Thirty years is a duration, so for is correct.

6. How long ___ you had that car? → have

A how long question about a continuing situation takes the present perfect.

7. I've worked here ___ 2020. → since

2020 is a point in time, so it takes since.

8. We haven't seen them ___ ages. → for

Ages is treated as a length of time, so it takes for.

9. Which sentence means the person still lives there? → He has lived in Baku for five years.

The present perfect keeps the situation open into the present.

10. She's been waiting ___ two o'clock. → since

Two o'clock names the moment the waiting began.

11. I haven't spoken to him ___ the argument. → since

The argument is the event that started the silence.

12. The shop has been closed ___ a fortnight. → for

A fortnight is a length of time.

13. How long ___ they been together? → have

They takes have in a present perfect question about duration.

14. Which of these follows since? → last Tuesday

Last Tuesday is a point in time; the others are lengths.

15. We've had this problem ___ the beginning. → since

The beginning is the moment the situation started.

16. I've been learning Turkish ___ six months. → for

Six months is a duration.

17. Which sentence is correct? → I have known him since 2018.

A continuing state needs the present perfect, and 2018 is a starting point.

18. He's owned that shop ___ his father died. → since

Since can introduce a clause naming the event that began the period.

19. ___ long has she been away? → How

How long is the standard question about duration.

20. We haven't had a proper holiday ___ years. → for

Years without a starting point is a length of time.

Fill-in-the-blank questions — answers

1. I've had this laptop ___ about four years. → for

Four years is a length of time.

2. She's been in hospital ___ Thursday. → since

Thursday is the point when the period began.

3. They've lived in that village ___ 1998. → since

A year names the starting point of the situation.

4. We haven't been to the cinema ___ months. → for

Months without a start date is a duration.

5. He's known her ___ they were children. → since

Since can be followed by a clause naming when it began.

6. ___ long have you been waiting? → How

How long asks for a duration.

7. The heating hasn't worked ___ last winter. → since

Last winter is a point in the past.

8. I've been awake ___ five o'clock this morning. → since

Five o'clock names the moment the period started.

9. She has taught at this school ___ a decade. → for

A decade is a length of time.

10. We ___ known each other for twenty years. → have

A continuing state takes the present perfect with have.

11. He hasn't smoked ___ his operation. → since

The operation is the event that began the period.

12. They've been together ___ quite a long time. → for

A long time is a duration.

13. The road has been closed ___ the accident on Tuesday. → since

The accident names when the closure started.

14. I ___ worked for this company since I graduated. → have

A situation continuing to now takes the present perfect.

15. She's been my neighbour ___ nearly six years. → for

Six years is a length of time.

16. Nothing has changed ___ the new manager arrived. → since

The arrival is the starting point of the period.

17. We've owned this house ___ a very long time. → for

A very long time is a duration rather than a moment.

18. How long ___ she had that job? → has

She takes has in a present perfect question about duration.

19. I haven't heard that song ___ I was at university. → since

A clause naming when something began follows since.

20. The tap has been dripping ___ three days now. → for

Three days is a length of time.

Sentence structure: word ordering — answers

1. Give the length of time at your current address. → I have lived here for five years.

Give the length of time at your current address.

2. Give the day an illness started. → She has been ill since Sunday.

Give the day an illness started.

3. Describe a very long acquaintance. → We have known them for ages.

Describe a very long acquaintance.

4. Report a long gap without food. → He hasn't eaten since this morning.

Report a long gap without food.

5. Ask about somebody's length of service. → How long have you worked there?

Ask about somebody's length of service.

6. Give the year a marriage began. → They have been married since 2015.

Give the year a marriage began.

7. Report a long absence with a duration. → I haven't seen her for weeks.

Report a long absence with a duration.

8. Give the month a closure began. → The shop has been closed since March.

Give the month a closure began.

9. Complain about a long wait with a duration. → We have waited for over an hour.

Complain about a long wait with a duration.

10. Give the life stage a skill began in. → He has played the piano since childhood.

Give the life stage a skill began in.

11. Ask a parent about a child's symptom. → How long has she had that cough?

Ask a parent about a child's symptom.

12. Say how long you have owned something. → I have had this bike for ten years.

Say how long you have owned something.

13. Comment on a lack of progress since an event. → Nothing has changed since the election.

Comment on a lack of progress since an event.

14. Describe a very long friendship. → They have been friends for decades.

Describe a very long friendship.

15. Give the month a job started. → She has taught here since September.

Give the month a job started.

16. Report a long silence between two people. → We haven't spoken for a long time.

Report a long silence between two people.

17. Give the hour somebody woke up. → He has been awake since four o'clock.

Give the hour somebody woke up.

18. Give the length of a course so far. → I have studied Spanish for two terms.

Give the length of a course so far.

19. Complain about a long-standing fault. → The lift has been broken for days.

Complain about a long-standing fault.

20. Ask about the length of somebody's stay in a country. → How long have they lived in Georgia?

Ask about the length of somebody's stay in a country.