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  • For and since

    Posted by Kerin on August 26, 2020 at 6:27 pm

    FOR and SINCE

    WITH THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS:

    We use the Present Perfect Continuous tense to talk about action that started in the past and is continuing now. This is often used with for or since.

    I have been reading for 2 hours. > Action started in past > Action is continuing now.
    I have been reading for 2 hours. (I am still reading now.)

    We’ve been studying since 9 o’clock. (We’re still studying now.)
    How long have you been learning English? (You are still learning now.)
    We have not been smoking. (And we are not smoking now.)

    I have been studying for three hours.
    I have been watching TV since 7pm.
    Tara hasn’t been feeling well for two weeks.
    Tara hasn’t been visiting us since March.
    He has been playing football for a long time.
    He has been living in Bangkok since he left school.

    WITH THE PRESENT PERFECT:

    The present perfect is often used to talk about situations that started in the past and are continuing now.

    We talk about how long using the words for and since:

    for = throughout (a period of time)

    They’ve been married for six months.

    since = from (an exact point in time) until now

    When for/since introduces an action or event at a point of time in the past, we can use the past simple or present perfect after since and the present perfect in the main clause:

    They haven’t received any junk mail since they moved/they’ve moved house.

    I haven’t smoked for 6 years

    With these verbs, meaning: live, study, work, visit we can use both:

    E.g.

    I’ve taught/I’ve been teaching since 2001

    I’ve studied/ I’ve been studying Russian for 12 years

    With the verb to be:

    She’s been happily married since 1999

    Kerin replied 3 years, 7 months ago 1 Member · 0 Replies
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