Page 225 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

D u r i n g , f o r , i n , o v e r , a n d t h r o u g h o u t ; D y a n a
u n t i l

During, for, in, over, throughout
We use during or in to talk about something that happens within a particular period of time:
• The population of the city has actually fallen during the last decade, (or ...in the last...)
• She didn't take a holiday during her four years as head of the company, (or ...in her four
years...)
• During the time that I was in Paris, I only once saw the River Seine, (or In the time...)
We use during rather than in when we talk about something that happens within the same time
as another event or activity rather than over a particular period of time:
• Mrs Newton came into our classroom during a maths test.
• The President made the speech during a visit to Madrid.
We also prefer during when we emphasise that something continues for the whole of a particular
period of time:
• No-one was allowed to leave the ship during (the whole of) its time in port.
We can also use throughout to express a similar meaning:
• We had enough firewood to keep us warm during (the whole of) the winter, (or...warm
throughout the winter.)

13 We can use over or during when we talk about an event or activity that goes on for a length of
time within a period of time, either for some of that period or for the whole of it:
• Weather conditions have been improving over/during the past few days.
• I fell, banged my head, and can't remember anything about what happened over/during the
next hour or so.
However, if we talk about an event or activity having little duration that happens within a
period of time, we prefer during:
• She sneezed during the performance, (not ...over the performance.)
• During a pause in the conversation, she left the room, (not Over a pause...)

We use for to say how long something continues, and during to say when something takes place:
• You can only come in for a few minutes, (not ...during...)
• I felt ill for a couple of days, but was fine after that, (not ...during...)
• About ten of us were taken ill during a party we were at in York, (not ...for a party...)
• You will get plenty of practical experience during the training period, (not ...for the training
period...)

By, until
We use by when we say that something will We use until when we say that something
happen or be achieved either before a will continue up to a particular time.
particular time or at that time at the latest.
• We have to be at the stadium by 2.30. • We have to be at the stadium until 2.30.
(That's when the competition starts.) (We can't leave before that time.)
• She learned German by the age of 16. • She learned German until the age of 16.
(She could speak it fluently when she (Then she stopped learning it.)
reached that age.)
In negative sentences, until means 'not before':
• You mustn't open your presents until your birthday.
In informal English we can use till instead of until.
For: reasons => BBnTH In: time =» IffltXTiTl By: how something is done =