English Grammar
FOR - SINCE - AGO: explanation and use
'For', 'since' and 'ago' are used to talk about time.
It is often difficult for learners of English to know when to use 'for', 'since' and 'ago'.
Here is an explanation, with sentences to show how to use them.
FOR
- For is used to indicate a period of time or
duration ((how long something has happened).
Structure: Subject + verb + for + length of time.
- How long are you staying in London? I'm staying for a week.
- My mother is going to Rome for a few days with a friend.
- Hugo is going to study in Sydney for 6 months.
- For is often used with the Present Perfect.
- Julie had been waiting at the bus stop for 10 minutes.
- I have lived in this country for 5 years.
- I have had this dress for a long time.
- For can be used with other verb tenses :
- Present : I go on holidays for two weeks every summer.
- Past : When I was sixteen, I stayed in London for two months.
- Future :While I am in the USA , I will be in New York for two days.
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SINCE
- Since is used to refer to the
starting point of actions or situations that continue up until now.
The Present Perfect is generally used in the main clause.
Structure: Subject + have/has + past participle + since + point in time.
- I have been waiting for the bus since 8 o'clock.
- I live in Tokyo. I have lived in Tokyo since January 2010.
- I have been learning English since the beginning of the year.
- A lot has changed since his appointment as manager.
- The restaurant has been successful since it opened.
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AGO
- Ago is used to say when past events happened,
going back from today towards the past.
It indicates how much time has passed since something happened.
The verb is in the Past Tense.
Structure: Subject + past tense verb + time + ago.
- I came to Tokyo two years ago.
- I arrived at the bus stop 10 minutes ago.
- The company was founded 50 years ago.
- The castle was built 300 years ago.
- We heard talk about the merger some time ago.
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Try an exercise
See also: for-during-while
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