For, since, from: What’s the difference?
Learn how to express time correctly using for, since, and from.
- check_circleI can use 'for' to talk about a duration of time.
- check_circleI can use 'since' to refer to a specific starting point in the past.
- check_circleI can use 'from' to show the beginning of a period, usually with 'to' or 'until'.
Discover
Meet today's English in a real situation — no rules yet. Read it once and try to guess the pattern in the words in bold. Underlined words open a short definition.
Emma: How long have you been working at this company?
Lucas: I’ve been here for three years. I started in 2023. What about you?
Emma: I’ve been here since January. It’s been a great experience so far.
Lucas: That’s nice! I usually work from 9 AM to 5 PM. What’s your schedule like?
Emma: I work the same hours. Have you lived in this city for a long time?
Lucas: Yes, I moved here from Chicago. I’ve lived here since I graduated college. It’s a nice place, but the weather can be a bit unpredictable.
Learn
Now the rules behind what you just saw — explained simply, with examples. Underlined words open a short definition — hover on desktop, tap on a phone.
Time expressions can be tricky! Three of the most common prepositions of time are for, since, and from. They might seem similar, but they each have a specific job. Let’s look at the differences.
1. For (Duration of time)
We use for to talk about a duration or a period of time. It answers the question “How long?”.
Think of for as measuring a length of time: minutes, hours, days, months, or years.
- I have studied English for three years.
- She has been on the phone for 20 minutes.
- We lived in Madrid for a decade.
2. Since (Starting point in the past)
We use since to talk about a specific starting point in the past. It answers the question “When did this start?”. The action continues to the present.
- I have studied English since 2021.
- He has been working here since January.
- They haven’t eaten since this morning.
Common mistake: Do not use since for a duration.
- ❌ I have lived here
since two years. - ✅ I have lived here for two years.
3. From (Starting point, usually with “to” or “until”)
We use from to show the beginning of an action or a period. We usually use it together with to or until to show the end of the period.
- The store is open from Monday to Friday.
- I will be on vacation from July 1st until July 15th.
Common mistake: Do not use from instead of since with present perfect to talk about an action continuing to the present.
- ❌ I have been here
from8 AM. - ✅ I have been here since 8 AM.
When we talk about the beginning of something without mentioning the end, but the action doesn’t continue up to now in the present perfect sense, we can also use from:
- The tickets are available from tomorrow.
It’s important to maintain the correct structure depending on what you want to communicate!
- For + duration:
for two hours,for five years,for a long time. - Since + starting point:
since 2015,since Monday,since I was a child. - From… to/until + start and end:
from 9 to 5,from June until August.
Practice
Try it yourself. You'll see right away whether you got it right, plus a short explanation of why.
Use It
Now make the language yours in a real task. Use the prompt below — the editor keeps a simple word count, and nothing is saved or graded.
Before you finish — be honest. Can you do these now?