Since, for, from (examples, how to use)
| Since | |
| Since expresses duration up to the present. When we use since, we are saying that something began in the past and is unfinished: I have lived in this house since 1997. (= 'I moved here in 1997 and I still live here.') We’ve been married since last June. (= 'We got married last June and we’re still married.') I've known him since we were at school. (= 'I knew him at school and I still know him.') |
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| We use the present perfect simple or present perfect continuous with since: I have had this car since last April. Mary has been working here since 2003. |
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| We can use the past perfect tense with since to express duration from a point in the past: It was 1974, and he had been living in London since 1964. |
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| Since vs. for | |
| Since and for both express duration up to a point in the present, but we use them differently. | |
| We use since + the starting point of the activity: We have lived in this house since we got married. I've been waiting here since 9 o'clock. |
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| We use for + a time period: We have lived in this house for thirty years. I've been waiting here for three hours. |
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| Since vs. from | |
| We use since and from to express duration. Both tell us the starting point of an activity. | |
| Since expresses duration of an unfinished action, up to a point in the present: I've been here since 8 o'clock this morning so I'm going home now. I've been here from 8 o'clock this morning.
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| We use from in other cases: I will be here from 8 o'clock tomorrow. I will be here since 8 o'clock tomorrow. The shop is open from 9 a.m on Saturdays. The shop is open since 9 a.m on Saturdays.
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| We say from . . . to or from . . . till / until: He works from 8 to 5 o'clock. From the 1920s until his death, Picasso lived in France. |
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