Grammar-for/since/ago/still/already/yet

Present Perfect 3 - For / Since

Since and for are both used for situations and actions that start in the past and continue to
the present. For example:
- I've been at home for 4 hours.
- I've been at home since 12.00.

Since

Since is used wiuth a point of time. For example:

- I've lived here since March.
- I've been here since 9.00 this morning.

Since is only used with perfect forms such as the Present Perfect, Past Perfect and so on -
it cannot be used with other forms. For example:
- I've studied english since last year - Correct
- I studied / I am studying / I will study English since last year - Incorrect

Since is also used with time clauses. For example:

- I've studied English since I was at universiity.
- We haven't seen my family since we got married.
Note that the main clause uses the Present Perfect, wheras the other clause uses the Past
Simple.

For

For is used with a period of time. For example:

- I've lived here for 9 months.
- She's been here for 5 hours.

Unlike since, for can be used with tenses other than perfect tenses. For example:
- I lived here for 9 months - This period of time started and ended in the past, it is now
finished.
- I will live here for a year - This period of time will start and end in the future, it hasn't
started yet.
- I have lived here for a long time - This period of time started in the past and continues
to the present. It isn't finished yet.

Exercise 1

We haven't met them______your birthday.

I haven't heard from them______they were here.

 She has been married_____some years.

I haven't talked to them_____we last met you.

He hasn't won any race_____Easter.

We haven't been to any party____three months.

I haven't talked to her____January.

They have been living in this house__many years.

I haven't received any letters____I moved to this place.

She has lived in that city____at least twenty years.

_____2005 she has been attending this school.

Exercise 2

1. I've lived in Vienna ..... five years.\

2. I've been waiting ... two hours.
3. She's worked here ..... 1987.
4. She's been on holiday ..... two weeks.
5. 5. Michael has worked for Siemens ..... five months.
6.
7. 6. We've been married ..... 1976.
8.
9. 7. I've known Peter ..... Monday.
10.
11. 8. We've been waiting ..... ten minutes.
12.
13. 9. I've had my car ..... January.
14.
15. 10. I've been at work ..... 9 o'clock this morning.

Exercise 3

Combine the two sentences using the present perfect( simple or continuous) and "for" or
"since".

1. They started waiting 30 minutes ago.

They are still waiting.

2. She became a doctor last year.

She is still a doctor.

3. He started going to this restaurant 5 years ago.

He still goes to this restaurant.

4. I bought a dog in 1995.

I still have a dog.

5. Fred arrived at 6 o'clock.

He's still here.

6. Alice fell ill at Christmas.

She is still ill.

7. The shop opened this morning.

It's still open.

8. He went to Paris a week ago.

He's still in Paris.

9. He started watching T.V. an hour ago.

He's still watching T.V.

10. He finished school in June.

He's still looking for a job.

meda-zara