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Problem words – 

Since
and for

Tricky points
of English …

Explaining
some of the everyday words in English, that are easy to confuse

Since

and

for

 

Since

and

for

implying duration or cause

 “Since”

often causes confusion, because it
has two principal meanings: it can imply

duration

(time),
or

cause

. Here are some examples:

A1
   Since
he arrived, everything has been different.
A2   
Since
it was Sunday, I stayed in bed longer.

In A1 since implies

duration

.
In A2 it implies

cause

:

since

–
whether a

structures

and

tenses

used.

The meaning of- whether a conjunction , an adverb or a preposition – is determined by theandused.

Four
model examples to remember:

1. Duration

   – Since he

   won

   the
   lottery,

   he’s become

   very
   lazy.
    

    or

   Since 

   winning

   the lottery,

   he’s become

   very lazy.

2. Cause

   – Since he 

   won

   the lottery,

   he’s

   now a
   millionnaire.

3. Duration – I‘ve been here

   since

   yesterday

   ,

   but John’s been here

   for five days

   .

4. Duration

   – I came to London in 1990 and I’ve lived here ever

   since

   .

Since as a
conjunction:

Model 1.

 

Since

normally
implies

duration

(

a length of time)

when the
verb
of the

since clause

is in a

past
tense

and the

verb of the
main clause

is also in the past. Since

always

implies duration if the verb in the since clause is a

present participle.

.

Model
2

.  

Since

always implies 

cause 

when the verb of
the

since clause

is in a

present
tense.

Since and
for
as

prepositions

. 

Model 3.

Since

is
used to situate an event in relation to a moment
in
time (

yesterday

),
but 

for

is used to
relate the event to a period
of time or duration (

five days

).
The
verb in the main clause is normally in the present-perfect tense.

Since as
an adverb.

Model 4  

Since

 
stands on its own, as in this common expression

ever since

: in this case it
is a an adverb with the
meaning “

since then

“. Since
as an adverb can never imply cause.

1. Since implying

time

or

duration

:

Since

is used either as a clause)
or as a adverb
(standing
alone).

1.1.    If a

“since” clause

implies time,
it must
contain a verb
in

a past tense.

B1   
We haven’t eaten anything

since

we got

here.
B2   
We haven’t eaten anything

since

we’ve been

here
B3   
I’ve
been feeling sick (ever)

since

I ate

that cake.
B4     He left home last Sunday,

and

hasn’t been seen

since

.

1.2.    When the

main verb

in a sentence with
a since clause

(since
you arrived

) or a since phrase

(since
Tuesday

)
refers to a period of time including the present, a
present
perfect
tense is necessary.

C1   
See examples B1 – B3.
C2   
I

have been

 here

since

Tuesday.
C3   

Since

you arrived,

he’s
been

really happy.

1.3. If the whole  sentence refers to

past

time, the

main clause

.will contain a
verb in the

past
perfect
tense.

The

since clause

generally
contains a verb in the

simple past
tense (preterite)

.

D1   
We

hadn’t eaten

anything since
we

arrived.

D2   

I’d
been feeling

sick ever
since
I

ate

that cake.
D3   

I
hadn’t eaten

anything since
six o’clock.

1.4.    Since

always

implies

time

if (a) it is a preposition
(examples C2, D3) or (b) it is followed by a present
participle (as in.

since
going home

).

1.5.   

Since

or

for ?

Since

as a

preposition

can only
be used to express duration as from a

moment
in time

–
expressed either as an adverb (e.g.

yesterday

),
an
adverb phrase (e.g.

the
start of term

) or a verb of action (e.g.

I ate.

..). 

Since

as a

preposition

is

never

used with a

period
of time

.
We cannot say:

since
three hours 

Duration over a period
of time

is
expressed with

for

.

 
   E1 – moment in time: . I’ve
been here

since

last
week.

     E2 – duration : I’ve
been here

for

three hours.

However

since

as a

conjunction

can  be used with either a period of time or with
a moment of time;

• if

  a period of time

  is implied (as in examples E3 and E4) , the verb in the since clause is
  normally in the

  present
  perfect

  .

• If

  a moment of time

  is
  indicated (as in examples E5 and E6), the verb in the since clause
  is in

  the preterite

 
   E3. I’ve
felt much better

since the window’s been

open
     E4. He’s lost weight

since he’s
started running

every day
     E5. I’ve felt much
better since

I
opened

the window.
   
 E6. He’s lost
weight since

he stopped eating

chocolate
bars.

Since implying

cause

:

1.   

Since

 

must

imply

cause

,
not time, when a

since

clause contains a

present tense

,

F1   
Since
it

is raining

, we are
staying indoors.
F2    We
will stay indoors since

it is raining

.

F3    Since
he

lives

in Peru, he
doesn’t often visit us.

2.  

Since

normally

implies

cause

when the verb in the main clause and in
the since clause are both
in the preterite
(simple past ) ,

G1   
 I ate all the
chocolates since you left them behind.
G2     Since he was poor, he never
took
taxis.

To imply time, a present perfect would normally be used for the main
verb

G11
I’ve
eaten all the chocolates since I got home.

3.   

Since

,
implying

cause

,
is a subordinating

as

.

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often causes confusion, because it has two principal meanings: it can imply(time), or. Here are some examples:In A1 since implies. In A2 it impliesExplanations of these examplesis used to situate an event in relation to a moment in time (), butis used to relate the event to a period of time or duration (). The verb in the main clause is normally in the present-perfect tense.is used either as a conjunction
(introducing a) or as a preposition (introducing a phrase) , or occasionally as an(standing alone).1.1. If aimplies time, itcontain a verb in1.2. When thein a sentence with a since clause) or a since phrase) refers to a period of time including the, a present perfect tense is necessary.1.3. If the whole sentence refers totime, the.will contain a verb in theThegenerally contains a verb in the1.4.(a) it is a(examples C2, D3) or (b) it is(as in.).as acan only be used to express duration as from a- expressed either as an adverb (e.g.), an adverb phrase (e.g.) or a verb of action (e.g…).Howeveras acan be used with either a period of time or with a moment of time;1.imply, not time, when aclause contains a2.implieswhen the verb in the main clause and in the since clause arein the(simple past ) ,To imply time, a present perfect would normally be used for the main verb3., implying, is a subordinating conjunction synonymous withWebsite and texts © Linguapress.com except where otherwise indicatedtricky words… Each or every ? Enough …. and more like this

Fill in the blanks with
since or for.

1. They have been living here ……………………………….. six years.

for

since

Correct!

Wrong!

For indicates duration. It is used with a period of time.

2. I have been working in this office ……………………………… July.

for

since

Correct!

Wrong!

Since indicates the starting point of something.

3. I haven’t seen him ………………………………. Monday.

since

for

Correct!

Wrong!

Since indicates the starting point of something.

4. It has been a long time ……………………………….. I watched a movie.

since

for

Correct!

Wrong!

Since indicates the starting point of something.

5. She has been learning English ……………………………. six months.

since

for

Correct!

Wrong!

For indicates duration. It is used with a period of time.

6. I have known him ………………………………. our school days.

for

since

Correct!

Wrong!

Since indicates the starting point of something.

7. It hasn’t stopped raining ………………………………….. yesterday.

since

for

Correct!

Wrong!

Since indicates the starting point of something.

8. She has been unemployed ………………………………….. she left college.

since

for

Correct!

Wrong!

Since indicates the starting point of something.

9. It has been a long time ………………………………… we last met.

since

for

Correct!

Wrong!

Since indicates the starting point of something.

10. She has been unhappy ………………………………….. her divorce.

since

for

Correct!

Wrong!

Since indicates the starting point of something.

11. I have worked hard …………………………………. years.

for

since

Correct!

Wrong!

For indicates duration. It is used with a period of time.

12. I haven’t seen him …………………………………… a long time.

for

since

Correct!

Wrong!

For indicates duration. It is used with a period of time.

Answers

1.
They have been living here for six years.

2.
I have been working in this office since July.

3.
I haven’t seen him since Monday.

4.
It has been a long time since I watched a movie.

5.
She has been learning English for six months.

6.
I have known him since our school days.

7.
It hasn’t stopped raining since yesterday.

8.
She has been unemployed since she left college.

9.
It has been a long time since we last met.

10.
She has been unhappy since her divorce.

11.
I have worked hard for years.

12.
I haven’t seen him for a long time.