Use for, since, ago, by, until, after, later, on time, in time, finally, in the end, at the end, these days, once, one day, at once…. Using for and since in English Since what is the tense in English

Language. To avoid difficulties and mistakes, let's look at words that relate to the designation of time and have different connotations in a given sentence.

for, since, ago

• For – during, in continuation. Used with a period of time (both Past Simple and Present Perfect):

I haven’t been in Kiev for ages - I haven’t been to Kyiv for ages

She lived there for 5 years - she lived there for 5 years

She has lived there for a very long time - she lived there for a very long time

• Since - since then. Use before referring to time:

She has been cleaning since 2 o’clock - she has been cleaning since 2 o’clock

• Ago - ago. Indicates a period of time from the present to some date or event in the past.

It was long ago, when I last saw him - I haven’t seen him for a long time

yet, already

• Yet - yet, still, for now. Used in questions and negative sentences (in the British version - together with the Present Perfect):

I haven’t done it yet - I haven’t finished yet

Have you done it yet? -Are you finished yet?

• Already - already. Used in affirmative sentences (can appear anywhere):

I’ve done it already / I’ve already done it. He's already there.

I'm already finished

by, until, so far

• By – at, at, near, near. Refers to an action that occurred at a certain point in time before another specific moment, but we do not know exactly when:

By the time he arrived, all the seats were occupied - while he arrived, all the seats were occupied

Until/till – until, until then.

He worked until 5 o’clock - he worked until 5

• by, past – can describe time that passes by:

The time goes past/by so quickly - time passes by so quickly

A concert went by so fast - the concert went by so quickly

during, throughout

• During – during, in continuation, during. Describes a moment in a certain period of time, or an entire period of time:

I asked him not to call me during my classes - I asked him not to call me during class

It’s very difficult to reach him during the day - during the day it’s very difficult for him to reach him

• Throughout – in our days, in our time. Means “from beginning to end”:

She was very happy throughout her marriage - she was very happy in her marriage

after, afterwards, later

• After - after. After requires an addition after itself:

I’ll do my English homework after lunch - I will do my English homework after lunch

• Afterwards - subsequently, later. Acts as a time adverbial in a sentence:

I'm busy now. I’ll see you afterwards - I’m busy right now. See you later

• Later/later on – later, then, sometime in the future:

We’ll join you later - we’ll join you later

on time, in time

• On time - on time, without delay, at the appointed time:

They finished the project on time - they finished the project on time

• In time - in advance, in advance:

He was in time to look through his report before the meeting - he came just in time to look through his report before the meeting

at last, finally, in the end, at the end

• At last - finally. Used when the event we have been waiting for finally happens:

At last they are buying a home, they have always dreamed about - finally they are buying the house they have always dreamed of

• Finally - ultimately, in the end. Describes an action that occurs after a long wait. Finally is placed before the verb:

We finally reached the top of the mountain - he finally got to the top

Finally can be used to draw a conclusion; it conveys the final thought in a sequential chain of events. In this case, the word finally is placed at the beginning of the sentence:

Finally , I’d like to introduce our new manager - finally, I want to introduce our new manager

nowadays, these days

Nowadays - nowadays; Now; Nowadays. These days - in our days, in our time.

Used to describe the present tense:

Nowadays many young people go in for sport

You don"t run across many fine men like him these days - these days you don’t often meet such a good man like him

once, one day, at once

• Once - once; once, once; once upon a time, once upon a time; once, one day. Refers to events that took place in the past but are no longer happening in the present:

I was very much in love with her once - I was once very much in love with her

He once told me where to go - once he told me where to go

In English, once can also mean as soon as:

I"ll do once I’m ready - I’ll do it as soon as I’m ready

• One day - once, once upon a time; one day; some day. Can refer to both the past and the future:

One day he was driving along the road, when suddenly he felt... - one day he was driving along the road when he suddenly felt...

Our wishes will come true one day - one day our wishes will come true

• At once - immediately, immediately, immediately (immediately):

He blew me in the face at once - he immediately blew me off

• All at once - suddenly, suddenly, unexpectedly (suddenly):

You can"t become a president all at once - you cannot immediately become president

in, within

In within – have meaning until the end of a certain period of time (before the end of a period of time):

I was dressed within the ten minutes - I got dressed in 10 minutes

I came back from Kiev in ten days - I returned from Kyiv in 10 days

In English, in/within can also convey future meaning:

I’ll be ready in fourteen minutes - I’ll be ready in 14 minutes

I’ll finish the project within a year - I’ll finish the project in a year

The Present Perfect expresses an action that began in the past (and may still continue), without specifying time. Directly affects the present tense.

Education Present Perfect

In affirmative sentences. Subject + have/has + verb(-ed)

Example:

• I have worked very hard for this exam - I prepared very hard for this exam.
• She likes him but she has never loved him - She liked him, but she never loved him.
• He has finished university and has started working in London now - He graduated from the university and has now started working in London.

In negative sentences. Subject + have/has + not + verb(-ed)

Example:

• You haven’t tried very hard - You didn’t try very hard.
• My cousins ​​are coming this weekend. They haven’t stayed with me before – My cousins ​​are coming this weekend. They haven't stayed with me before.
• I haven’t read this book - I haven’t read this book. (to read is an irregular verb)

In interrogative sentences. Have/Has + subject + verb(-ed)

Example:

• Has Molly answered your letter? – Has Moly responded to your letter?
• What has happened? -What happened?
• It’s nice to see you here but why haven’t visited me before? - It's nice to see you here, but why didn't you visit me before?

Short answers.

Regular verbs in the past participle and past simple have the same infinitive form + ed:

The past participle has its own form.

Present Perfect is used:

To talk about events that happened in the past without referring to time:

• Elena has arrived. (present perfect)
• Elena arrived at 2 o’clock. (past simple)

We cannot say:

Elena has arrived at 2 o’clock.

We do not use expressions indicating a specific period of time (yesterday, last week, in the summer, etc.) with the present perfect. In this case it does not matter and is not used in the sentence. Therefore, we cannot use the present perfect to ask about time:

• When did you go there?
• NOT When have you been there?

We often use the present perfect c been(verb to be in past participle). " been" implies " went"(verb to go in past simple):

• I went to Paris last year - I went to Paris last year. (past simple)
• I’ve been to Paris - I was in Paris. (present perfect)
• NOT I’ve gone to Paris - I went to Paris.

Compare these two sentences:

• She’s gone to Canada - She went to Canada. (and she's there now)
• She’s been to Canada - She was in Canada. (but she's not there now)

We often use ever(someday) in interrogative sentences:

• Have you ever been to Greece? – Have you ever been to Greece?

Present Perfect tense c forAndsince

We use the present perfect with for and since to talk about something that started in the past and continues in the present:

• I’ve been here since January – I’ve been here since January.
• I’ve been here for five months – I’ve been here for five months.

Difference between since and for:

• since + point in time when it started.
• for + time period.

As it could be said in:

• I came here in January - I came here in January.
• I came here five months ago - I came here 5 months ago.

Notice the difference:

I’ve worked for the bank for three years – I have been working at the bank for three years. (and still continue to work)

I worked for the bank for three years – I worked at the bank for three years. (but I don’t work there anymore)

We can't use since with the past simple:

• NOT I worked for the bank since 1988.

This knowledge will help you make your speech more literate and avoid making some mistakes when composing sentences in English. All this allows you to correctly convey your thoughts to your interlocutor and avoid misunderstandings.
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Table: Prepositions for and since

Sam has been in England for six months. He has been in England since March. Sam has been in England for six months. He has been in England since March.
We've been waiting for an hour. We’ve been waiting since 11 o’clock. We've been waiting for an hour. We've been waiting since 11 o'clock.
I’ve lived in Berlin for a long time. I’ve lived in Berlin since I was ten years old. I lived in Berlin for a long time. I have lived in Berlin since I was ten years old.

2

In English, the word ago is translated as “ago ago” and is used with the Past Simple form:

Robert started his new job a month ago ( Wrong: Robert has started...). Robert started working a month ago.
When did Grace go out? Five minutes ago. When did Grace leave? Five minutes ago.
I had breakfast an hour ago. I had breakfast an hour ago.
Life was very different fifty years ago. Life was completely different fifty years ago.

Do not confuse the preposition for and the adverb ago. In the first case, we indicate how long the event lasted, in the second, when it happened. Compare:

When did Monica arrive in Greece? She arrived in Greece three days ago. When did Monica come to Greece? She arrived in Greece three days ago.
How long has she been in Greece? She has been in Greece for three days. How long was she in Greece? She was in Greece for three days.

Prepositions since and for have several meanings. The main thing is an indication of the validity period. They often appear in similar contexts: for example, in the Past Perfect. But they cannot replace each other: you need to remember the rules for their use.

Among prepositions of time in English, these two words occupy a special position: they do not denote the time of action itself, but refer to a period. And they do it in different ways. For reflects the period itself, and since its starting point. In addition, indicating time is not the only meaning of for and since; they are found in other contexts. To understand these two words, let's look at the meanings of each of the prepositions with examples.

Preposition for

The first of the prepositions for and since denotes the period during which an event lasted and has the meaning “for a certain time”:

When he came to the office, I had already worked for two hours - When he came to the office, I had already worked for two hours.

This apartment has been empty for years - This apartment has been empty for years.

We go to the seaside for two weeks every year - Every year we go to the seaside for two weeks.

My brother will be in Spain for the next week - My brother will be in Spain over the next week.

From these examples it is clear that the preposition for can be used with different tenses: past, present and future. The most typical tense with for as the period of action is the Perfect form, although its use is not required. For example, the period may refer to the future tense (He’s going to Brazil for the winter - He is leaving for Brazil for the winter).

At the same time, indicating the period of action does not interfere with the use of other time markers, for example, the repetition of the action, as in the example We go to the seaside for two weeks every year (“Every year we go to the seaside for two weeks”).

When we talk about how long an action has lasted up to the present moment, the preposition for is used with the Present Perfect tense. In such examples, one must carefully distinguish since or for should be used.

Mr Taylor has known me for three years - Mr Taylor has known me for three years.

In conversational style, the preposition for can be omitted. It is often omitted with the question how long (how long) and is not used before the word all:

We’ve lived in this house (for) six weeks - We live in this house for six weeks.

How long have you been waiting (for)? - How long have you been waiting?

I’ve had a headache all day - I have a headache all day.

Preposition since

The preposition since indicates the period of an event in a different way: it conveys when the action began, serves as its starting point:

We’ve been waiting since six o’clock - We’ve been waiting since six o’clock.

We’ve known your brother since January - We have known your brother since January.

Here the question may arise,in what tense is since used?. If for is used with various verb forms, then since serves as an explicit Perfect tense marker:

I’ve been working since six o’clock and I’m getting tired - I’ve been working since six o’clock and starting to get tired.

It is typical to use the preposition since in negative sentences to emphasize the last time a situation occurred:

We haven’t seen Jimmy since Christmas - We haven’t seen Jimmy since Christmas.

The preposition since can be replaced by the preposition from with perfect tenses, when it is necessary to emphasize the meaning “from now on”:

She’s been like that from (since) her childhood - She’s been like that since childhood.

Although the more typical use of from is with imperfect tenses. The preposition since cannot be used in such cases.

This vase dates from the 17th century - This vase dates from the 17th century.

since/for ruleat the time of Perfect

So, both variants of prepositions are used with perfect tenses. They both indicate how long the action lasts, but they designate the period differently. The preposition for serves to convey the duration itself, and since indicates only the starting point.

Compare offers:

I’ve known her for six months - I’ve known her for six months.

I’ve known her since last summer - I’ve known her since last summer.

She’s been working here for a long time - She has been working here for a long time (for a long time).

She’s been working here since July - She has been working here since July.

Since or for rule is determined not by the verb in the sentence, but by the indication of the tense that follows the preposition. If it denotes a point on the time scale (last winter, July), then since is used. If the preposition is followed by a description of a period of time (six months, a long time), for is used.

Other uses

The word since in English can act both as a preposition and as a conjunction. That is, it can be followed not only by a noun denoting the beginning of an action, but also by a subordinate clause. The meaning of the beginning of the event is preserved: the conjunction since is translated “since.”

I’ve known her since we were at college - I’ve known her since we were in college.

You’ve drunk four cups of coffee since you came home - You drank four cups of coffee (from the moment) you came home.

Although since can have other meanings. For example, the conjunction since can indicate a reason:

Since he had not paid the bill, the electricity was cut off - Since he did not pay the bill, the electricity was turned off.

When we talk about alliances, there is a fundamental difference between since and for : The conjunction for cannot indicate a period of time. The meaning of the conjunction for is an indication of the reason:

There won’t be any delay, for all the differences are resolved - There will be no delays because all differences have been resolved.

The words for and since there are other meanings. For example, the preposition for can indicate a purpose and purpose (to stop for a photo - stop to take a photo) or a reason (for many reasons - for many reasons). But the main difficulty in using for / since arises with the Perfect tense. In order not to confuse them, you need to remember well since or for rule.