This document provides examples of using "for" and "since" to indicate duration or a starting point of an action. "For" is used to indicate how long an action has continued, such as "We have been here for a week." "Since" is used to indicate when an action began, such as "We have been here since Friday." The document gives multiple pairs of examples contrasting the proper uses of "for" and "since."

1. For / Since

2. For / Since
 We use “for” to say how long an action
has continued.
We have been here for a week.
 We use “since” to say when an action
began.
We have been here since Friday.

3. The plumber has
been here ___ two
o’clock.

4. The plumber has
been here since two
o’clock.

5. We’ve tried to help
them ____ a long
time.

6. We’ve tried to help
them for a long
time.

7. Tom has had his
car ____ three
years.

8. Tom has had his
car for three
years.

9. I haven’t slept
____ I heard about
the oil spill.

10. I haven’t slept since
I heard about the
oil spill.

11. Have you been to
Italy ____ last
year?

12. Have you been to
Italy since last
year?

13. They have been
here ____ an hour.

14. They have been
here for an hour.

15. She has lived here
____ 1998.

16. She has lived here
since 1998.

17. ____ early this
morning, we’ve
picked up hundreds
of broken bottles.

18. Since early this
morning, we’ve
picked up hundreds
of broken bottles.

19. We’ve been near
the lake ____ six
hours now.

20. We’ve been near
the lake for six
hours now.

21. Real fur coats
haven’t been
fashionable ____
years.

22. Real fur coats
haven’t been
fashionable for
years.

23. Fish haven’t lived
there ____ the oil
spill.

24. Fish haven’t lived
there since the oil
spill.

25. I haven’t eaten
anything ____
hours.

26. I haven’t eaten
anything for hours.

27. He hasn’t played
football ____ he
hurt his foot last
week.

28. He hasn’t played
football since he
hurt his foot last
week.

29. We haven’t spoken
____ Monday.

30. We haven’t spoken
since Monday.

31. They haven’t known
each other ____ a
long time.

32. They haven’t known
each other for a
long time.

33. Tom has been at
our school ____
three years.

34. Tom has been at
our school for three
years.

35. Kevin has worked
with animals ____
2002.

36. Kevin has worked
with animals since
2002.

37. I haven’t written
any e-mails ____
Tuesday.

38. I haven’t written
any e-mails since
Tuesday.

39. We haven’t seen
Sally ____ months.

40. We haven’t seen
Sally for months.

41. I haven’t seen any
good films ____ the
summer.

42. I haven’t seen any
good films since the
summer.

43. Have you eaten ice
creams ____ you
began your diet?

44. Have you eaten ice
creams since you
began your diet?

45. Has Frank spoken
to Julie ____
Sunday?

46. Has Frank spoken
to Julie since
Sunday?

47. Marga Renedo Gómez