Question

Study the following explanation about the use of for and since. Then, decide which one of them you will use to fill in the blanks below.

We use for when we want to say how long something has been happening.
e.g. I have known Jane for a long time.

We use since to say that something has been happening from a particular time in the past until now.
e.g. I have been waiting here since 4 p.m. and he hasn't shown up yet.

It's been raining ___________ lunchtime.

Tom's father has been doing the same job ____________20 years.


The weather has been quite good ___________Christmas.

I haven't seen Hugh ___________three days.

Megan has been living in London ___________ 2012.

Please hurry up! We've been waiting ___________ almost an hour.

Have you been learning English _________a long time?

I haven't had a good meal ________ last Tuesday.

The house is dirty. We haven't cleaned it _________weeks.


Pierre has been looking for a job ___________he left school.

Answer 1

It's been raining since lunchtime.

Tom's father has been doing the same job for 20 years.

The weather has been quite good since Christmas.

I haven't seen Hugh for three days.

Megan has been living in London since 2012.

Please hurry up! We've been waiting for almost an hour.

Have you been learning English for a long time?

I haven't had a good meal since last Tuesday.

The house is dirty. We haven't cleaned it for weeks.

Pierre has been looking for a job since he left school.