This is a question that comes up from time to time for our subject matter specialists. Today, we have the full, extensive explanation as well as the answer for everyone who is interested!
As eons ago can (almost) be considered to refer to a particular period in time, the conjunction “since” can almost be used with it. Since “for decades” encompasses the entirety of the time period that has passed since the last time I saw you, it cannot be used with “since.” It does not even take place in the past; rather, it continues right up until the present.
How should we use for generations?
- Hey, Paul. …
- This intricate lie kept his family in the dark for a very long time.
- I haven’t seen you for decades.
- My gloves have been lost for ages.
- I can’t remember the last time I sewed anything.
- Because our vehicles keep getting stuck in the mud, we are unable to leave for hours.
When is the appropriate time to use since and for?
Keep in mind that for is always accompanied by a time period. Since is a preposition that designates a certain instant in time. If you choose, you can use since instead of for when dealing with similar verb tenses.
Is it appropriate to say in terms of ages?
Both are acceptable expressions to use, and both will convey the intended message. They will communicate the same meaning when used in a negative context; however, in ages and other durational phrases with in (such as in weeks, months, years, a coon’s age, or donkey’s years) are considered Negative Polarity Items and cannot be used outside the context of a negative trigger.
When should we use “since” and “for” in the tense?
When discussing periods of time, we frequently use the phrases “for” and “since.” for + period: a “period” is a duration of time ranging from five minutes to six years; it can be anything from two weeks to six years. The preposition for denotes the time span “from the beginning of the period to the end of the period.” because + point: a “point” is a specific instant in time, such as nine o’clock on the first Monday of January.
Understand the difference between “since” and “for” with the help of some examples and a quiz.
34 questions found in related categories
What do we do with yesterday because or because of?
Since is used to locate an event in respect to a specific instant in time (yesterday), whereas for is used to locate an event in relation to a specific period of time or duration.
If I use the past simple, can I use since?
It is possible to use either the past simple or the present perfect following the conjunction since when introducing an action or occurrence that took place at a certain point in time in the past. However, we must use the present perfect in the main clause. Since they relocated, they have not received any unsolicited mail of any kind.
Which one do you use—aged or age?
In most cases, the word aged can be replaced by of age: The young man is 11 years old. I am 20 years old now. When discussing age by itself, however, age is a noun, whereas the phrase “age 11” is a noun phrase.
Where can we put this to use?
We say something has a purpose or a cause when we employ the preposition for, such as “I’m going for some breakfast.” I’m starving to death right now.
What does the word “for” mean when used in a sentence?
- I’ve waited at that station for five hours. …
- She was confident that he would approve of the vacation attire that she had purchased…
- He had been attending to her needs for almost to a year at this point….
- She announced as she made her way toward the kitchen, “I’ll fetch us some coffee.”…
- You must have put a significant amount of money into purchasing this item…
- We are grateful that you invited us.
What is the meaning of for?
preposition. with the intention or goal of: running in order to get some exercise. meant to be a part of, or to be utilized in connection with: apparatus for the army; a cupboard for dishes. appropriate for the functions or requirements of: medication for the elderly
Which tense have we been using for many years?
Forms of the word include: plural and third person singular present tense ages , present participle ageing , past tense, past participle aged language note That the word can also be spelled with an “e,” particularly in American English. The amount of years that you have been alive is equivalent to your age. Her nephew is only ten years old and is her only living relative.
What does the word age mean when it’s used in a sentence?
- You seem to have aged much since the last time I saw you.
- We haven’t been here in what seems like an eternity; we need to visit this place more frequently.
- Learning how to play the guitar takes a very long time.
- The journey there was long and arduous.
- It will be a very long time before we find out the results of our exam.
- Because I have so much work to do, I will not be able to talk to her for a very long time.
What does it imply when someone says they’ve been around for ages?
Idiom: For ages
Meaning: for an extremely protracted period of time.
How are “since” and “for” distinct from one another?
Due to the fact that both “for” and “since” are prepositions that are used to communicate about how long the activity continues, we frequently get the two confused with one another. On the other hand, these two expressions are distinct from one another in the sense that we use since when we are referring to a particular instant in time, whereas for is used when we are discussing the length of time that something takes.
Should I use to or for in this sentence?
Although it could appear hard at first glance, the answer is actually quite straightforward. When the reason or purpose is a verb, use “to” in place of the verb. When the reason or purpose is a noun, you should use the word “for.”
Which form of the present tense should we use with since?
Because can be utilized in a wide variety of contexts, both with the present perfect and with other tenses and verb tenses. It is common practice to utilize the present perfect and the past perfect tenses when employing this adverbial phrase as a preposition to introduce a date or a particular period that occurred in the past.
How should the word “age” be written when using a year old?
Where to Put the Hyphen in “Year Old”
When “year old” is used to modify a word that comes after it, the phrase should be hyphenated. If the phrase is used to describe the age of a person, place, or object and it comes before the noun that it is describing in a sentence, then it should be written as “year-old.”
What exactly is the distinction between aged and age?
The distinction between the nouns age and aged is that age refers to a being’s entire lifetime, regardless of whether it is an animal, vegetable, or another sort; lifetime, whereas aged refers to elderly people as a collective noun (context|uncountable|lang=en).
When can I use the preposition since?
When describing an activity or circumstance that started in the past and continues into the present, we frequently use the preposition “since” in conjunction with the present perfect tense. Take, for instance: We’ve been married since 1995. Since 2008, I’ve been employed at this company.
Do you mind if we utilize ever since yesterday?
Yet you are also right about that. They have the same level of significance. The only notable distinction is that “since yesterday” indicates that it is still occurring. When you say “from yesterday,” it may suggest that the event is still taking place now.
When referring to the date, may we use “since”?
Since is usually prefaced by a time, date, or age when it is employed in a sentence. The preposition “since” is typically utilized with the perfect tenses of the present, the past, and the continuous past. Take, for instance: Since five o’clock in the morning, I’ve been studying English.
May I say that since this time last year?
You should use phrases like since 2010 (date) or last year to indicate the precise period, unless you specifically wish to keep the date a secret. If this is not the case, you should avoid using phrases like these. The good news is that you are free to change the form of the phrase and use either Since or For as you see fit, based on the specifics of the message you are trying to convey.
Is the word since ever used to start a sentence?
Because is a perfectly acceptable word to use at the beginning of a sentence.