lingua house

TM

Innovation in Learning

ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Prepositions of time: from ... to, since, for

Lesson code: HSG4-AHFB-FHK7-J

INTERMEDIATE

1 Presentation
We often use `from ... to', `since' and `for' when we talk about periods of time. Study the table below.

Preposition

Use and examples

from ... to

We often use from + starting point in time with to + end point:

from Monday to Friday
from 1pm to 2pm
I lived in Paris from 2003 to 2009.

from January to March

Instead of to, we can use until or till:

We were working from morning till night.
We can use from with a past, present or future tense:
He lived in Venezuela from childhood.

I'll be waiting from 3pm.

We do not usually use from with a perfect tense.

since

We also use since + starting point in time:

since this morning

since yesterday

since I left school

But we usually use since with a perfect tense:

I've been working since 9am.

9am

Now (2pm)

I've been waiting here since this morning.

for

I hadn't seen her since I left school.

We use for + a period of time:

for 10 minutes

for ages

for a long time

for 10 years

for 6 months

We can use for with all tenses:

I'll remember for ever.

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I waited for three hours.

AB

I haven't seen you for ages!

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lingua house

Prepositions of time: from ... to, since, for

A

Innovation in Learning

ENGLISH GRAMMAR

2 Practice 1 - Since, from, to/till

It is January, 2013. Pablo is a school teacher in London. Rephrase the sentences about him like in the
example. Use `since', `from' or `to/till'.
1. He moved to London 10 years ago.
He has been living in London since 2003.
2. He was born in Spain in 1980.
He lived in Spain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2003.
3. He got a job as a teacher 5 years ago.
He's been working as a teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. He starts work every day at 10am.
He works every day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. The last time he visited his parents was 2 years ago.
He hasn't visited his parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. His holidays start in July and end in September.
He will be on holiday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7. When he lived in Spain, he used to play football a lot.
He hasn't played football much . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8. The last time he ate Spanish food was when he visited his parents.
He hasn't eaten Spanish food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . his parents.

3 Practice 2 - Since, for, from

Complete the sentences with `since', `for' or `from'.
over 10 hours.

1. It's been raining

2. I haven't seen John

we were at school together.

an early age.

3. Anka lived with her grandparents

4. Paula has been living in the same village
Monday.

5. It had been raining

6. I am awake

over 30 years.

6am every day.

9. The dinosaurs have been extinct

10. Jack grew up very fast
11. The windows haven't been cleaned
12. After living together

another year.
over 65 million years.
the time he left home.
a year ago.
20 years, they decided to get divorced.

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Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
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8. I think I'm going to stay here

I started working here.

AB

7. I've met a lot of interesting people

PI

TM

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Prepositions of time: from ... to, since, for - Key

A

lingua house

TM

Innovation in Learning

ENGLISH GRAMMAR

2- Practice 1 - Since, from, to/till

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

He lived in Spain from 1980 till 2003.

He's been working as a teacher since 2008.
He works every day from 10am.
He hasn't visited his parents since 2011.
He will be on holiday from July to/till September.
He hasn't played football much since he lived in Spain.
He hasn't eaten Spanish food since he visited his parents.

3- Practice 2 - Since, for, from

Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
c
Linguahouse.com

AB

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex

LE

for
since
from
for
since
from
since
for
for
from
since
for

PI

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

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