When to use DURING, FOR, and SINCE in English

So, I have been reading a book for three weeks now.

It's called The Bristling Wood.

It's a fantasy novel that came out, I believe, in the 1980s or 1990s.

And so far, I have enjoyed it since I started reading it.

So since the period that I started reading it, I have been enjoying it.

I have taken a break though, but I have been reading it for three weeks.

So, I hope I can finish it sooner rather than later.

Hey, everyone.

I'm Alex, and you are learning English with www.engvid.com today.

That's www.engvid.com.

Thanks for clicking.

So, today, I want to talk to you about three

important time words in English, and those

words are "during", "for", and "since".

These sometimes cause some confusion for English

learners, so I thought, why don't we spend

some time talking about the intricacies of these terms?

First, let's start with "during".

So, we use "during" to talk about the period when something happens or happened.

Here, I'm just using the general present to cover all time.

So, basically, if you use "during", you are

talking about the time period in which something

happened.

So, you can use terms like "during the holidays",

"during high school", "during the game".

So, this means while the holidays were happening,

while I was in high school, or while the game

was happening.

So, in the middle of these periods or activities.

Now, I want you to repeat after me because

mimicking is a great way to learn and practice

your second language, or maybe this is your third, or fourth, or fifth language.

Let me know, how many languages can you speak?

Now, repeat after me with "during".

"He called me during class."

This means I was in class, ring ring, oh no, he...

When he called me.

Okay? So, during the class.

I was in the middle of the class when he called me.

Next, repeat after me.

"She kept looking at her phone during the movie."

And again, in the middle of the movie, while

the movie was happening, she continued to

look at her phone.

It was distracting for everyone.

So, during the movie, during class, during

the holidays, during high school, during the

game.

So, you're thinking about activities in the middle of a period.

Okay?

So, that's what you have to keep in mind when you think about "during".

Next, we have "for".

This one is quite simple.

So, when you use "for", you add the length of time that something happens.

Basically, "for" answers the question, "How long?"

Right?

So, you can say, "For two minutes", "For five

days", "For three hours", as long as you mention

the duration.

Right?

So, you're talking about the duration of time,

the period, the length of time that something

happens.

So, repeat after me, "We talked for an hour."

Very good.

Next, "They've been together for 15 years."

Very good.

So, if I ask you, "How long have you been studying English?"

you can answer with, "Ah, I have been studying

English for 10 years, 5 years, 5 minutes."

This is your first English video, maybe.

I don't know.

And good.

So, "They've been together for 15 years."

And actually, I want to ask you, "Have you

looked at your phone or have you checked your

messages on your phone during this video?"

Hmm.

I hope you are focusing on the video and not on something outside.

All right.

"Ignore your friends.

You can answer them later."

All right.

Finally, we have "since".

So, "since" refers to the period when something started or happened.

We're always concerned with the past when we use "since".

We're also concerned about the last time that something happened.

So, you can say, "Since last year", "Since Monday", "Since college".

So, the period in the past when something happened or when something was true, or the

last time that you did something in the past.

So, for example, repeat after me, "I haven't seen him since high school."

Good.

One more, repeat after me, "She has worked here since 2023."

Okay, so this is when she started working here, right?

So, the period when something started or happened.

I haven't seen him since high school.

High school was the last time that I have seen him.

So, when you use "since", typically you're using the present perfect tense.

You're connecting the past to the present.

And if someone asks you, "Have you talked to Dan lately?"

And you can say, "No, I haven't seen Dan since Monday", right?

Or "I haven't seen Dan since last year."

Maybe it's something more dramatic.

I don't know the situation about with you and Dan.

Okay?

So, I asked you, "How long have you been studying English?"

You can say, "I have been studying English for three years", or "I have been studying

English since 2021", for example, or since the period when you started.

That's it.

Okay, one quick note.

You can use "since" with numbers, because a lot of students make mistakes.

Oh, I won't say a lot.

I will say some, perhaps many.

Some make the mistake of using "since" when they should use "for".

You can use "since" with numbers.

This is used in casual speech.

So, if you say, "Since five years ago", or "Since two years ago", "Since five minutes

ago", so we do use this terminology to talk about the length of time with "since".

I haven't seen him since five years ago.

But honestly, it's much better and more common

to say, "I haven't seen him for five years",

in this case.

So, just be aware of that.

Alright.

So, again, during, you're thinking about being

inside the time, like during the game, during

the movie, for how long, right?

For five minutes, five days, six hours.

Since, when was the last time, or when did it start, or when did it happen, right?

And you're not only talking about time, you

can use things like "college", or "university",

or "high school", or "since I was a kid".

You can say a sentence like that as well.

This was the last time, or this was when this happened in the past.

Okay.

To test your understanding of this material,

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And until next time, I wish you a lot of luck

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practicing.