Exercise 1
Write for or since.
1 It’s been raining ……………………. lunchtime.
2 Sarah has lived in Paris ……………………. 1995.
3 Paul has lived in Brazil ……………………. ten years.
4 I’m tired of waiting. We’ve been sitting here ……………………. an hour.
5 Kevin has been looking for a job ……………………. he left school.
6 I haven’t been to a party ……………………. ages.
7 I wonder where Joe is. I haven’t seen him ……………………. last week.
8 Jane is away. She’s been away ……………………. Friday.
9 The weather is dry. It hasn’t rained ……………………. a few weeks.
Answers
1
1 since
2 since
3 for
4 for
5 since
6 for
7 since
8 since
9 for
Exercise 2
Use the words in brackets to make sentences.
1 it’s raining.
(how long?) …………………….
(when?) …………………….
2 Kate is learning Japanese.
(how long / learn?) …………………….
(when / start?) …………………….
3 I know Simon.
(how long / you / know?) …………………….
(when / you / first / meet?) …………………….
4 Rebecca and David are married.
(how long?) …………………….
(when?) …………………….
Answers
2
1 How long has it been raining?
When did it start raining?
2 How long has Kate been learning Japanese?
When did Kate start learning Japanese?
3 How long have you known Simon?
When did you first meet Simon? / When did you and Simon first meet?
4 How long have Rebecca and David been married?
When did Rebecca and David get married? / When did Rebecca and David marry?
Exercise 3
Read the situations and complete the sentences.
1 It’s raining. It’s been raining since lunchtime. It …………………….at lunchtime.
2 Ann and jess are friends. They first met years ago. They’ve ……………………. years.
3 Mark is ill. He became ill on Sunday. He has ……………………. Sunday.
4 Mark is ill. He became ill a few days ago. He has ……………………. a few days.
5 Sarah is married. She’s been married for a year. She got …………………….
6 You have a headache. It started when you woke up.
I’ve ……………………. I woke up.
7 Sue has been in Italy for the last three weeks.
She went …………………….
8 You’re working in a hotel. You started six months ago.
I’ve …………………….
Answers
3
1 started raining
2 known each other for
3 He has been ill since Sunday.
4 He has been ill for a few days.
5 She got married a year ago.
6 I’ve had a headache since I woke up.
7 She went to Italy three weeks ago.
8 I’ve been working in a hotel for six months. or I’ve worked in a hotel for six months.
Exercise 4
Write B’s sentences using the words in brackets.
1 A: Do you often go on holiday?
B: No, ……………………. five years.
2 A: Do you often see Laura?
B: No, I ……………………. about a month.
3 A: Do you often go to the cinema?
B: No, ……………………. a long time.
4 A: Do you often eat in restaurants?
B: No, ……………………. ages.
Now write B’s answers again. This time use It’s … since … .
5 (1) …………………….
6 (2) No, its …………………….
7 (3) No, …………………….
8 (4) …………………….
Answers
4
1 I haven’t had a holiday for
2 No, I haven’t seen Laura/her for about a month.
3 No, I haven’t been to the cinema for a long time.
4 No, I haven’t eaten in a restaurant for ages. / No, I haven’t been to a restaurant for ages.
6 No, it’s about a month since I (last) saw Laura/her. / No, it’s been about a month since …
7 No, it’s a long time since I (last) went to the cinema. / No, it’s been a long time since …
8 No, it’s ages since I (last) ate in a restaurant. / No, it’s been ages since … or … since I went to a restaurant.
