Page 105 - Basic English Usage

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133 for, since, from, ago and before

1 For, since and from ‘point forwards’ in time.
Ago and before ‘point backwards’ in time.

THEN to: three months > NOW
since my birthday

THEN from six o'clock Now . from now on

< years ago 7” Now

<. ree years _— , THEN

For details of the use of ago and before, see 20.4.

2 We use for to say how long something lasts.
for + period of time
! once studied the guitar for three years.
That house has been empty for six weeks.
We go away for three weeks every summer.
My boss will be in Italy for the next ten days.
When we talk about a period of time up to the present, we use for with
the present perfect tense (have + past participle).
I’ve known her for a long time. (NOT +knewter ...)
A present progressive with for often refers to the future.
(
How Iong are you staying for? = Until when ...)
We can leave out for with Howlong ...?
How long are you staying?
How long have you been waiting?

3 From and since give the starting point of an action or state: they say
when something begins or began.
from/since + starting point
l'll be here from three o'clock onwards.
! work from nine to five.
From now on, |’m going to go running every day.
From his earliest childhood he loved music.
I've been waiting since ten o’clock.
I've known her since January.