Present perfect with for and since

Use for and since with the present perfect to describe situations continuing from the past until now.

When do we use it?

Distinguish a duration introduced by for from a starting point introduced by since.

Form

Use for + period and since + starting point with have or has plus a past participle.

• for three years
• since Monday
• I have lived here for ages.
• She has known him since 2020.

Key contrast

Read the whole context and identify the time, meaning, noun type or sentence structure before choosing.

Common mistakes

• since three years → for three years
• for last Monday → since last Monday

Remember

Use for and since with the present perfect to describe situations continuing from the past until now.

Quick check

• Find the grammar clue.
• Check the subject and verb form.
• Confirm that the answer fits both structure and meaning.