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.
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.
