FOR = DURÉE + verbe au prétérit, present perfect simple ou present perfect continu. On ne sait pas quand la durée a commencé ou la durée est approximative. Par exemple, “il y a deux ans” pourrait être deux ans + trois semaines, cela est considéré comme une durée “vague”.
SINCE = DURÉE QUI CONTINUE + verbe au present perfect. On sait quand la durée a commencé.
AGO = DATE + verbe au prétérit.
Memorize common expressions such as “for a long time” and “for a few months”, “a long time ago” because they never change.
Let’s practice!
- He left two years ……………..
- He’s been working here ……………….. two years now.
- She stayed with him ……………….. two days.
- She’s been working with us ………………… last year.
- They got married twenty years ……………..
- They’ve been married ………………. Twenty years.
- They’ve been married ……………….. 1985.
- I’ve been learning English ……………… 8 years.
- She’s tired because she’s been driving ……………….. this morning.
- She’s tired because she’s been driving ……………….. 6 hours.
- This passenger has been sick ………………….. she came on board.
- He has been blind ……………………. birth.
- It’s been raining ………………… two days!
- I have lived in the same house ………………….. 10 years.
- I have lived in the same house ………………… 2005.
- I have been at this school …………….. 3 years.
- We’ve been waiting for the train ……………… noon.
- I haven’t seen my neighbor …………………. last week.
- I’ve been working here ………………… the beginning of the year.
- She’s been sick …………………… over a week.
- He’s been learning English ………………… a long time.
- My mother has been working at the bank ……………………. she graduated from the University.
- You’ve been studying …………………… half an hour.
- He’s lived in this apartment ……………………….. he was a young man.
- I haven’t seen my friends ……………………… I left home.
- The snow came down ……………… over 10 hours!
- I haven’t slept …………………… 20 hours.
- I haven’t slept ……………………….. Tuesday!
- ……………….. when do your parents let you borrow their car ?
- We haven’t been to the cinema ………………… ages.
- How long have you lived in the United States? (one year)
- How long has Mary been a nurse? (April)
- How long has Karen known Tom? (1979)
- How long have they studied English? (a few months)
- How long has Karen played tennis? (a long time)
- How long has he worn glasses? (1975)
- How long has Emily played the piano? (high school)
- How long will you be on vacation? (three weeks)
- How long have you driven a car? (my birthday)
- How long has Ron had his new computer? (last month)
- How long has she owned the book shop? (ten years)
- How long has Gary played football? (several years)
- How long have your friends been in town? (Monday)
- How long has Mrs. Smith lived on Clark Street? (many years)
- How long has the post office been closed. (five o’clock)