Present perfect with “for” and “since”
The present perfect is used for situations that started in the past and still connect to now, and for life experiences. “For” gives a length of time; “since” gives a starting point.
By Aslıgül Aşkın,
Guide: Grammar. Main post: English tenses: all of them in one table
The present perfect is formed with “have/has + past participle” and links the past to now: “I have lived here for five years.” (I still live here). Use “for” with a length of time and “since” with a starting point: “for two weeks”, “since Monday”.
How is it formed?
Use “have” with I/you/we/they and “has” with he/she/it: “She has finished her homework.” Negative: “We haven't seen him.” Question: “Have you eaten?” Regular past participles end in -ed (worked); irregular ones need to be learned (go → gone, see → seen, be → been).
Play this topicSort into GroupsLevel B1“For” or “since”?
“For” says how long: for ten minutes, for three years, for a long time. “Since” says from when: since 2020, since Monday, since I was a child. Turkish speakers often mix them up because Turkish can use the same “-dir” ending for both; if the question is “how long?”, use “for”, and if it is “since when?”, use “since”.
Talking about experience: “Have you ever…?”
When you ask whether someone has done something in their life, no time is given: “Have you ever been to London?” Answer: “Yes, I have.” or “No, I've never been there.” If you give a time, switch to the past simple: “I went there in 2019.”
A short exercise
Write two sentences about yourself: one with “for” and one with “since” (“I have studied English for…”, “I have known my best friend since…”). Then write three “Have you ever…?” questions to ask a friend.
To keep going, see The past simple in English: how to form it and Present perfect or past simple? The difference.
Frequently asked questions
What comes after “since”?
A starting point: a date, a day, or a past simple clause: “since I was a child”.
How do I answer “Have you ever…?”
The short answer is “Yes, I have.” or “No, I haven't.”; switch to the past simple for details.
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