SINCE, FOR & AGO

TIME WORDS	USE	TENSE
FOR	+ period of time	many tenses
SINCE	+ point in time	Present Perfect (& other Perfect Tenses)
AGO	+ past or finished time	Simple Past (& other Past Tenses)

SINCE

Since is used to mean from a point in time in the past up to now.   As since connects a past time to the present time, it is generally used with the Present Perfect Tense.  Note that since is place before time words and phrases.

Example sentences:

• I’ve lived in this city since 2010.
• I’ve had my phone since Christmas.
• He’s been sick since last week.
• I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday.
• I’ve become more careful since I had an accident.

FOR

For is used to show a period of time.  Because it is a period of time, for can be used with many tenses.  Note that for is placed before the time phrase.

Example sentences:

• I work for 8 hours every day.
• I’ve worked for 3 hours so far to day.
• I will go on holiday for 2 weeks tomorrow.
• I’ve had my phone for 2 years.
• I’ve lived in this city for 20 years.

AGO

Ago is used for a past time or finished time.  For this reason, ago is used with the Past Simple Tense.  Note that when ago is placed after the time phrase.

Example sentences:

• I finished my homework two minutes ago.
• I left school 2 years ago.
• Five years ago, I didn’t speak any English.
• When did you arrive in Italy? 3 days ago.

Compare the following sentences:

1. I started working here 2 years ago.
2. I’ve worked here for 2 years.
3. I’ve worked here since 2018.

TIME WORDS & PHRASES
FOR	SINCE	AGO
2 years, 5 days, 3 hours, 9 week, 10 months	10 o’clock, yesterday, January	2 years, 5 days, 3 hours, 9 week, 10 months
a long time	last week / year / month	a long time
a while		some time
some time	my birthday	not long / just a minute
ages	Christmas / Worker’s Day	ages
hours / weeks / months / years	I was born	hours / weeks / months / years
many hours / many years	childhood	many hours / many years

Since, For & Ago Exercises.

More Prepositions of Time Exercises

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