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Grammar · Verb tenses · A2 · Elementary

Since vs for

Last updated 21 July 2026

In short

Use 'since' with a starting point in time — a date, year, event, or time of day — to say when a situation began: 'since 2019', 'since Monday'. Use 'for' with a length or duration of time — a number of minutes, days, or years — to say how long it has lasted: 'for three years', 'for a while'. Both commonly pair with the present perfect.

Since vs for at a glance

SinceFor
Core meaningA starting point in timeA length/duration of time
Typical follow-ona date, year, day, event, time of daya number + unit of time (minutes, days, years)
Examplesince 2015, since Monday, since I moved herefor two years, for a week, for a long time
Common tense pairingpresent perfect / present perfect continuouspresent perfect / present perfect continuous, but also past simple
Answers the questionWhen did it start?How long has it lasted?
Can it start a clause?Yes — 'since I arrived' (since + clause)No — 'for' takes a noun phrase, not a clause

What is the difference between 'since' and 'for'?

'Since' and 'for' both commonly appear with the present perfect to talk about situations that started in the past and continue now, but they answer two different questions. 'Since' answers 'when did it start?' with a fixed point in time. 'For' answers 'how long has it lasted?' with a length of time.

A simple test: if the phrase names a moment on a calendar or clock (a date, a day, a year, an event), use 'since'. If it names a quantity of time (a number of minutes, days, months, years), use 'for'.

  • I've worked at this company since 2017.(a starting point on the calendar)
  • I've worked at this company for seven years.(a length of time)
  • I've worked at this company since seven years.('seven years' is a duration, not a starting point → for seven years)

'Since' with an event or a whole clause

Beyond dates, 'since' can be followed by an event ('since the wedding') or an entire clause with its own subject and past-tense verb ('since I moved to Manchester'). This structure — since + past simple clause, main clause + present perfect — is common in natural speech and writing.

'For' cannot introduce a clause in the same way; it only takes a noun phrase describing a quantity of time.

  • Since I started this job, I've learned three new software programs.(since + past simple clause)
  • Since the merger, the company has doubled in size.(since + event)
  • For I started this job, I've learned three new programs.('for' cannot introduce a clause → since I started)

Can 'for' be used with the past simple?

Yes — unlike 'since', 'for' works with any tense that involves duration, including the past simple for a finished period. 'Since' almost never appears with a past simple main clause, because it implies a link to the present that the past simple does not carry.

  • We lived in Nairobi for four years before moving back home.(finished duration → for + past simple)
  • We lived in Nairobi since 2010.(a finished period doesn't fit 'since' → We have lived there since 2010)
  • They will be travelling for six weeks this summer.('for' with a future duration)

Common mistakes with since vs for

Real learner errors, corrected and explained — the fastest way to stop repeating them.

I have lived here since five years.

I have lived here for five years.

'Five years' is a duration, not a starting point, so it must follow 'for', not 'since'.

She has worked here for 2018.

She has worked here since 2018.

'2018' is a fixed point on the calendar, so it needs 'since', not 'for'.

I haven't seen him for last month.

I haven't seen him since last month.

'Last month' marks a starting point in time, so 'since' is required rather than 'for'.

For I moved to this city, I've made many new friends.

Since I moved to this city, I've made many new friends.

Only 'since' can introduce a clause with its own subject and verb; 'for' takes a noun phrase, not a clause.

We have been married since ten years.

We have been married for ten years.

'Ten years' is a length of time, which pairs with 'for'; 'since' would need a starting point like '2014'.

I am waiting for the bus since twenty minutes.

I have been waiting for the bus for twenty minutes.

A duration reaching the present needs the present perfect continuous, and 'twenty minutes' is a length of time, so it takes 'for', not 'since'.

Since vs for in IELTS

Grammatical Range and Accuracy is 25% of your Speaking and Writing scores — here is where this structure earns marks.

Speaking

  • Part 1 questions about how long you've done something (a hobby, a job, living somewhere) are the perfect test of since/for control: 'I've been learning the guitar for about a year, since my cousin gave me his old one.' Using both accurately in one answer is a strong Band 6+ signal.
  • Avoid the common slip of saying 'since three years' — pause and self-correct to 'for three years' if you catch it; examiners credit accurate self-correction.

Writing

  • In Task 1, use 'since' to anchor the start of a trend to a labelled year: 'Since 2010, internet usage has more than doubled.' Use 'for' when describing how long a trend has continued: 'The figure has remained stable for almost a decade.'
  • In Task 2, 'since' works well to introduce the historical starting point of an ongoing issue: 'Since the introduction of smartphones, attention spans have reportedly declined.'

Practise since vs for now

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Question 1 of 5

Which word fits: 'I haven't eaten ___ breakfast'?

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Check this rule in your own writing

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Related lessons

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between 'since' and 'for'?
'Since' introduces a starting point in time — a date, day, or event: 'since 2020'. 'For' introduces a length of time — a duration: 'for two years'. Both commonly pair with the present perfect to describe something that began in the past and continues now.
Can 'since' be used with the past simple?
Rarely, and only in specific patterns like 'since + past simple clause' followed by a present perfect main clause: 'Since I graduated, I've changed jobs twice.' 'Since' does not normally pair with a past simple main clause on its own, because it implies a link to the present.
Is it 'since two years' or 'for two years'?
'For two years' is correct. 'Two years' is a length of time, which always takes 'for'. 'Since' only pairs with a fixed starting point, such as 'since 2022' — never with a plain number of years, months, or weeks.
Can 'for' introduce a clause like 'since' can?
No. 'Since' can introduce a full clause with its own subject and verb ('since I arrived'), but 'for' can only be followed by a noun phrase describing a quantity of time ('for three weeks'). This is one of the clearest grammatical differences between the two words.
Which tense usually goes with 'since' and 'for'?
Both most commonly pair with the present perfect or present perfect continuous for situations continuing now: 'I have known her since 2015 / for eight years.' 'For' can also pair with the past simple for a finished duration: 'I lived there for two years.'

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