FOR SINCE or AGO Prepositions of Time English Grammar
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Hi everybody, my name is Alisha, and today
I’m going to talk about the difference between
“for” and “since.”
I’m also going to talk about how to use “ago,”
so let’s get started.
Okay, the first thing I want to talk about
is the word “for.”
We use the word “for” before a period
of time, so before a period of time can mean
minutes, it can mean years, it can mean days,
seconds, hours; a period of time or a length
of time.
We use the word “for” before that phrase
to talk about the length of time that something
happens.
So for example, for ten minutes, we use it
before ten minutes.
For five years, five years as a length of
time.
For a day, a day is also a length of time.
For a lifetime, one whole lifetime, a person’s
whole lifetime can be a period of time, we
use “for” before in this case.
There’s also “for” an eternity; an eternity,
we can use this to mean a very very long time,
it’s sort of an exaggerated phrase but for
an eternity means a very very long time.
These are all lengths of time and we should
use the word “for” before we want to express
them.
Okay, so let’s talk about something a little
bit different then, the word “since.”
“Since” is used before a specific point in
the past, we often use since with present
perfect tense, maybe you’ve seen another video
that we did about the present perfect tense
and how to make present perfect tense sentences.
We often use “since” in present perfect tense
sentences.
“For” is also used in present perfect tense
sentences but the two are used a little bit
differently.
“Since” is used to talk about a specific point
in the past, a specific point in the past,
maybe, where something happened or something
began.
So, for example, since last night.
This shows us that since last night, last
night something happened or something started,
and it’s continuing.
So “since” shows us that something has been
continuing or the effect has been continuing
“since” a point in the past; it began at a
point in the past and continues or the effect
continues until the present, “since,” tells
us all this information.
Another example, since 2014.
So this is the point in time, 2014 is the
year at which something changed or an action
started, or the effect of an action began.
So we can use “since” in this case.
Another point in time can be a season, like,
winter.
Since winter, since summer, since autumn.
We can use “since” before a season, we also
have points in time in the day, since this
morning, since this evening, since last night,
was my first example here.
We can also use morning, this morning, this
morning, today, as a point in time.
Finally, I have one more example, since last
week.
So points in time, there are a lot of different
points in time but just be careful, length
of time uses “for,” point in time uses “since,”
and “since” shows us that there’s some action
that’s continuing or the effect of some action
continues until the present.
So please be careful.
Period of time, point in time; “for” and “since.”
Okay, so the next point that I want to talk
about is “ago.”
There are a couple of different ways that
we can use “ago,” and the first one I want
to talk about is one we use for past tense
statements or past tense situations.
So we use “ago” to talk about points in time
where actions or changes occurred.
So, for example, three years ago I got a new
job, or five minutes ago I ate lunch, or,
two days ago I saw my friend, or two jobs
ago I didn’t have much experience.
So all of these statements are used to talk
about a past tense point in time where something
changed or some action occurred, so we use
“ago” in this way with the past tense to mark
a change or something happening.
So there’s a second use of “ago” that I want
to talk about.
We can use “ago” with “since” and a time period,
this is something we often use in present
perfect tense statements, like we talked about
here, with “since.”
What I mean by that, for example, is “since”
- time period + “ago.”
So for example, since three years ago, or
since five minutes ago, or since two months
ago.
So here you’ll see we’re using a time period,
I know I said to use time periods with “for,”
but this can be kind of a useful pattern because
if you use the word since on accident but
you want to express a time period instead,
you can save yourself by adding “ago” to the
end of it.
So if you’re working on making a sentence,
for example, and you’re speaking and you accidentally
use the word “since,” even though you know
you want to use a time period, save yourself
by attaching “ago” to the end.
So since three years ago, something has occurred,
something has been continuing.
So because “since” is here it shows us, like
we talked about with “since” here, the action
or some effect of that action is continuing
from this point in time, so we can use this
pattern as well, “since,” time period, “ago”.
Okay, so this is a lot of information, let’s
try to make a few sentences, I’ve prepared
a few example sentences, so let’s take a look.
Alright, the first one.
We’ve lived here _______ three years.
So how do we know which to use?
First, we see “we’ve,” we have, we have lived
here, this is a present perfect tense sentence,
we’ve lived here plus three years.
So I see a time period here, that means I
should use “for,” because we need to use “for”
before periods of time.
So, we’ve lived here for three years is the
correct sentence.
Good.
Okay, let’s look at the next one then.
They’ve been studying _______ 2014.
So here, I see a point in time, a point in
time, a specific point in time, and another
really good hint is the grammar here, I see
the present perfect progressive or the present
perfect continuous tense here, “they’ve,”
meaning they have, plus “been studying,” this
shows a continuing action.
So all of these give me hints about which
one I should use.
They’ve been studying since 2014 is the correct
answer here.
Next one.
He left the office five minutes ______.
Okay, here we see this is a past tense statement,
he left, so “left” is the past tense form
of the verb “to leave,” so we see here a period
of time, five minutes, yes, but after five
minutes is our space, meaning we need to use
“ago.”
Five minutes ago.
We always use “ago” after the period of time.
Okay, next one.
I’ve been reading this book _______ last week.
So again, we see this “been reading,” this
present perfect continuous tense shows us
an action has been continuing, this shows
a continuing action or a continuing effect.
So we know we should use “since.”
I’ve been reading this book since last week.
So, last week, as we talked about here, is
our specific point in time.
Let’s take a look at the next example sentence,
it’s a little bit tricky, it’s a little bit
difficult.
Here, we see the same “been waiting,” the
same present perfect continuous or present
perfect progressive tense, this shows us that
an action has been continuing, yes, but I’ve
used the word “ages” here, so “ages” is sort
of a casual expression which means a very
long time, that means it’s a time period,
this is not a specific point in time; ages
is not a specific point in time, it’s actually
a time period.
So we should use “for” here.
You’ve been waiting here for ages, for a long
time, is what this sentence means.
Okay, last one.
They’ve been dating ______ about two weeks ______.
Okay, so here there are two spaces where we
can use a word, that should probably give
you a good hint, it’ll be this “since” and
“ago,” but let’s talk about why.
Here, again, we have this continuous form,
they’ve been dating, “dating” as the continuous
or the progressive form of the verb “to date.”
So we have “about” plus “two weeks,” so there’s
a period of time there, yeah?
In this case then, we should use since about
two weeks ago.
So two weeks ago they started dating, or they’ve
been dating since about two weeks ago, we
can use both of these sentences to express
the amount of time they have been dating.
Okay, so those are a few points about when
to use “for,” “since,” and “ago.”
We also talked about some grammar points that
you can use these words with.
If you have any questions about those, check
out some of the other videos we’ve made on
this channel, especially about the present
perfect tense.
They can help give you some more background
about those grammar points.
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