[Learn English] Using For / Since – Fill In The Blanks

In English, we often use prepositions to place a noun, pronoun or noun phrase in time. This way, we can communicate the passage of time. English learners often have difficulties with these two prepositions, because their native languages may use prepositions differently.

FOR – We use for with a period of time in the past, present or future.
SINCE – We use since with a point in time in the past.

In English, we use the preposition for to talk about an amount of time or space. The amount of time could be seconds, minutes, hours, days, months or even years whereas, we use since to refer to a point of time. Since can refer to a point after a specific time or event in the past.

Also Read: Choose Correct Answer For This English Test

Complete the following sentences using for or since.

They have been living in Madrid _______ 1972.
He has been in prison ______ four years.
He has known about the fact ______ a long time.
Conditions have changed a lot ______ we were children.
Our teacher has been very ill ______ the last month.
I haven’t eaten anything ______ twenty-four hours.
In fact he is always very rude. We have been waiting for him ______ half an hour.
I haven’t seen him for three years. It is because I haven’t been there ______ I left school.
I have been trying to mend this old fashioned car ______ hours.
One of my friends has been teaching in Tokyo ___________ three years. I haven’t met him since last year.
I haven’t enjoyed myself ___________ two weeks since I heard that my final exam grades were low.
I know that you have never seen a lion ______ you were born. Then now I say that we can go to the zoo and see one.
The police have been looking for him for two weeks ______ he escaped from the prison.
He hasn’t spoken to me even a word ______ the last meeting.
I haven’t phoned him ______ a week.
He has been the principal of our high school ______ 1988.
Dean has been learning Japanese ______ two years.
Tina’s family hasn’t seen her ______ she got married.
My mother has been cooking ______ two hours.
Leela and Manoj have been together ______ 2005.
Harinder hasn’t drunk anything ___________ this afternoon.
Karina’s son has been studying at this university ______ three years.
It hasn’t rained ______ last July.
I have been waiting for the bus ______ 45 minutes.
I haven’t heard from him ______ I was five.
You haven’t changed ______ the last time I saw you.
I haven’t seen Jasmine ______ ages.
I have been waiting _____ 4 o’clock.
Sumedha has only been waiting _____ 20 minutes.
Tarun and Tina have been learning English ____ six years.
Fahad and Feriha have been learning French ______ 1998.
Javed and Jolie have been going out together _______ Valentine’s Day.
I haven’t been on holiday _________ last July.
Maaria has been saving her money _______ many years.