Grammatically speaking, For and Since are both prepositions that can be used in a sentence to express a specific time or period of time depending on the context.
Many believe these prepositions can be used interchangeably but as a matter of fact, that’s not true.
In fact, this is one of the common English errors I’ve seen people commit while expressing themselves on social media websites.
So, what’s the difference between For and Since, and how do you use them correctly while talking about time?
Let’s see some examples:
Example #1:
Incorrect: I haven’t seen him for last week.
Correct: I haven’t seen him since last week.
Example #2:
Incorrect: She has been suffering from fever since past two weeks.
Correct: She has been suffering from fever for past two weeks.
Since – a Specific Point of Time
You use Since when you talk about a specific point of time in the past around which an event took place. In Example #1 above, “Last Week” is the specific point of time around which the person was last seen. Remember Whatsapp?
Some more examples:
✅ I’ve been missing you since you were gone.
✅ She’s been feeling a bit dizzy since yesterday.
✅ Have you been behaving this way since childhood?
✅ He’s been much better since he quit smoking.
✅ I’ve never liked her since the first time I saw her.
If you pay attention to the underlined phrases in the examples above, you will realize they are actually a specific of time and not a length or period of time.
Important: Note that we use “Perfect Progressive” tense in all of the above examples. That’s because we mean to talk about something which has been occurring from a specific point of time and hasn’t actually stopped happening as we speak.
Therefore, it’s imperative to use this tense every time you use Since to talk about a period of time.
For – a Period of Time in the Past
You use For when you want to talk about a period of time or length of time in the past from which an event has taken place. In Example #2 above, “Past two weeks” is the period of time for which the person has been suffering.
Some more examples:
✅ India hasn’t conceded a boundary for the last ten overs. (in Cricket)
✅ I’ve been meaning to tell you the truth for the past six months!
✅ The Government has been fooling its people for the past three years.
As you can see, the underlined parts in the above examples indicate a period of time, as against a specific point of time.
Important: Note that we use a “Perfect Progressive” tense in all of the examples above. This is because we talk about an event that has been happening for a period of time and it hasn’t stopped occurring yet.
How to Avoid Mistakes while using For vs Since
The trick is to understand what a particular phrase actually means before using the right preposition.
There are many situations that may confuse some learners, especially those who don’t use English as their first language.
For example, can you say which of the sentences below is correct?
I’ve been working on this task since a long time.
I’ve been working on this task for a long time.
Well, the second example is the right answer. However, if Google it, you will see this actually confuses many learners.
The reason is some “a long time” may appear like a specific point of time to some while many agree it’s only a period of time in the strict sense.
Even some users try to use “a long time ago” to mean a specific point in time. For example:
I’ve been living here since a long time ago.
However, it’s still not acceptable in Standard English because the point of time is not very specific here. Unless you specifically want to be secretive about the specific date, you should use for example, since 2010 (date) or last year to denote the specific time.
The good news is you can alter the sentence structure and use both Since and For as per your convenience depending on the message you want to send.
Sample This:
✅ Example #1: I’ve been standing in line for the past two hours.
✅ Example #2: I’ve been standing in line since it was very cold in the morning and ticket counter wasn’t open.
As you can see the second sentence makes a very strong argument.
Recommended Reading: Past Year vs Last Year: Which One is Correct?
31 responses
she has been under our care since10 may 2017.
Is this sentence correct?
Yes, that’s correct!
This is correct because there is no specific time measured and still the activity is continued, so we can use since 10 May 2017.
correct …. as a specific point of time is mentioned in the sentence.
is it correct to say” I have a dog for the past two years” ?
Hello there,
Yes, it is correct… the only mistake is that instead of have you should have used had.
Have a nice day 😉
I am handling English for 10th since last year. OR
I am handling English for 10th for 2 years.
Which one is correct?
I’m not sure what you mean by “handling” English for 10th. However, you can either say, “…since last year” or “…for the past two years”.
I have been waiting for his message since a week.
Is this a correct sentence, please let me know as soon as possible..
Nope. The correct sentence is: I have been waiting for his message for a week/month/year.
Alternatively, you can say: I have been waiting for his message since this past week. (not last week)
Hope this helps!
I have been waiting for his message since a week.
Could you let me know why this is wrong?
I am using this account since two years
In this sentence correct ?
Nope! The correct sentence should be: “I’ve been using this account for the past two years.”
I have been down with fever for two days or since two days .Which one is correct? Reply as soon as possible sir.
I have been down with fever for the past two days.
I have not see him since two years . . . is this correct
Nope!
Either since (a specific time, e.g, 2010, yesterday, last month) or for the past (a range of time, e.g, two days, a couple of weeks, five years).
I have been working in xyz company for 1.6 years.( Is this correct? As I’m still working in xyz company)
I have been working in xyz company for the past 1.6 years.
Sachin has been practising the music piece since last three hours.
( Is this correct? beacause last is being used before three hours, so would it be treated as ‘point of time’ or ‘period of time’ still?)
First off, last and post are two different things. I’ve written a guide on that.
Moreover, the “past three hours” refers to a length of time, and not a specific point of time in the past.
There’s no need to use “the” before music piece since you’re not talking about any specific piece of music. You could use “this or that” instead.
One more thing – we always use “the” before last or past in this scenario.
So, your sentence should be: “Sachin has been practising music piece for the past three hours.”
For over a 5-year period…is it correct?
Since lost several decades we are running in the industry without any variations & violations (is this correct?)
I’ve been this company for 2years
Is it correct
I have been working here for the past two years.
Hope it helps.
Happy learning.
He is working in Kuwait since 16 years. Or , he is working in Kuwait for 16 years..Which one is correct .
She has been facing same problem for 2 years
Can we say: I have studied Spanish since 12 years.
Or only: I have studied Spanish for 12 years.
Only the second one is correct.
Good work
Thanks a lot
I have not met her since 2 years..is is correct??