Page 80 - Oxford_English_Grammar_Course_Basic_2015

since and for since Tuesday; for ten years fM
Level

TUESDAY I've been here since Tuesday NOW

We use the present perfect, not the present, to say how long something has continued up to now.

I've been here since Tuesday. (NOT / am here since Tuesday.)
I've known John for ten years. (NOT / know John for ten years.)
We can say how long with since or for.
We use since when we give the beginning of the time (for example since Tuesday).
We use for when we give the length of the time (for example for three days).

I've been here since Tuesday. I've been here for three days. (NOT... since three days.)
I've known Mary since 2005. I've known Mary for a very long time.
I've had this car since April. I've had this car for six months.

Put in since or for.

1 ....... ........ six weeks 5 ....... ........ yesterday 9 ....... ........ July
2 ....... ........ Sunday 6 ....... ........ breakfast time 10 ....... ........ last week
3 ....... ........ 1996 7 ....... ........ a long time 11 ....... ........ a day
4 ....... ........ ten years 8 ....... ........ five minutes 12 ....... ........ this morning

How long have you known people? Write sentences.
/
t
I've feiA/OWA ei/vcjlIsh te a c h e r sIia,ce septem,btr.

1 I've known.................................................................fo r.
2 I've....................................................................................
3 ...........................................................................................
4 ...........................................................................................

5 ...........................................................................................

How long have you had things? Write sentences.

► ..!y. P . these v^ovethz•
1 I've had m y........................................................................ since
2 .......................................................................................................................
3 ...................................................................................................
4 ...................................................................................................
5 ...................................................................................................

Q Make present perfect questions with How long ... ?
► you / be / in this country ..tfPY?. .LP.^2.h?.Y.e .

► Rachel / have / her job .. tfPYf. k?!T0. h? . ? . JPJ?;.................

1 you/ know/Mike ........................................................................................
2 you/be/a student .....................................................................................
3 your brother/be/a doctor .........................................................................
4 Andrew/have/that dog ............................................................................
5 David and Elizabeth / be/together .............................................................

Be, know and have are non-progressive verbs (see pages 30-31). With most other verbs, we use the present
perfect progressive (see next page) to say how long things have continued up to now.
How long have you been waiting?

In some answers, both contracted forms (for example I'm, don't) and full PERFECT TENSES 65
forms (for example lam, do not) are possible. Normally both are correct.