difference between “for” and “since”

The difference between “for” and “since” is not easily understood by Spanish-speaking  students of English.

Here are the main differences:

FOR

I’ve been waiting here for three hours.

He lived in Denmark for five years.

“For” says how long something lasts. It describes the duration of a specific activity.

It is used with the Simple Past and the Perfect tenses.

SINCE

She’s been studying English since she was 10.

I’ve had this car here since 2010.

“Since” describes the starting point of an action. It says when something began.

It is used with perfect tenses (Present and Past Perfect).

Here’s an exercise to practise what you’ve just learned.

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