Combine the following sentences using an appropriate tense form.
1. He was in the habit of smoking. He no longer smokes.
2. She started singing at 7 am. She is still singing. Now it is 9 am.
3. She joined our company in 2005. She quit our company in 2011.
4. He began to wait for his friend. He waited for a long time. He is still waiting.
5. I began teaching in this college in 1995. I am still teaching here.
6. I left my native village in 2002. I have been living in Mumbai from that time until now.
Answers
1. He used to smoke. (The structure used to is used to talk about past habits and states which are now finished.)
2. She has been singing since 7 am. OR She has been singing for two hours.
3. She worked with our company from 2005 to 2011. OR She worked with our company for six years before she quit in 2011.
4. He has been waiting for his friend for a long time.
5. I have been teaching in this college since 2005.
6. I have been living in Mumbai since I left my native village in 2002.
Notes
Use since with a point of time. Examples are: since Monday, since last year, since last week, since 2005 etc. Use for with a period of time. Examples are: for two hours, for two weeks, for a long time etc.
Both from and since can be used to give the starting points of actions, events or states: they say when things begin or began.