The prepositions for, in, from and since can all refer to time.
Can you use them correctly?
Fill in the blanks
1. I once studied classical music …………… about two years.
Use for with a period of time.
2. I am going to Switzerland ………….. the summer.
Use for with a period of time.
3. I will be in Singapore ……………. the next ten days.
Use for with a period of time.
4. We have known each other …………… our school days.
Use since with the starting point.
5. We have known each other …………… a long time.
We use for with duration.
6. It was the worst disaster ………….. decades.
Please select 2 correct answers
We can use in to talk about duration. This is particularly common after negatives and superlatives. For is also possible here.
7. She has been a go-getter …………… her earliest childhood.
With perfect tenses, since and for are more common.
8. …………….. now on, I am going to be punctual.
We use from with the starting point. The difference between from and since is that since is mainly used with perfect tenses.
9. I work ……………… dawn to dusk.
We use from with the starting point. It is mainly used with simple tenses.
10. …………….. his earliest childhood, he hated cats.
11. I will be home …………. Monday on.
12. ……………….. the dawn of civilization, people have made wars.
We can use 'from' in expressions that mean right from the start.
Answers
1. I once studied classical music for about two years.
2. I am going to Switzerland for the summer.
3. I will be in Singapore for the next ten days.
4. We have known each other since our school days.
5. We have known each other for a long time.
6. It was the worst disaster in / for decades.
7. She has been a go-getter since her earliest childhood.
8. From now on, I am going to be punctual.
9. I work from dawn to dusk.
10. From his earliest childhood, he hated cats.
11. I will be home from Monday on.
12. From / Since the dawn of civilization, people have made wars.
