Let's go to the Golden Gate Bridge

FOR / SINCE / AGO

"For" and "since" can be used with perfect tenses to express duration up to a point:
For + period of time
Since + point in time

I have had my computer for three years. (period of time)

I have had my computer since 2017. (point in time)
I have had my computer since I started school. (point in time)
Some more common examples:

ages
as long as I can remember
For +
a few months
years
my birthday
last year
Since + January 1st
the 1990s
I finished school

"Ago" is used to say how long before the present something happened. We use it after an
expression of time:
The accident happened three months ago. (three months before now)
Dinosaurs roamed the earth around 65 million years ago. (65 million years before now)
Forget about it. That was ages ago. (A long time before now)
I saw him a few moments ago. (A few moments before now)

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'HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE...?'

We can use the structure “How long + take ...?” to ask about the duration or time necessary
for something. We can also use the structure “how much time...?”:
How long does it take to get to Boston?
How long do you take to get ready in the morning?
For replies to this type of question, we can use the impersonal "it" to refer to time, and the verb
"take".
It takes three hours to get to Boston on the train.
It takes me two hours to get to Boston by car.
It takes me forty minutes to get ready in the morning.
OR
I take forty minutes to get ready in the morning.
This structure can also be adapted to negative sentences and other tenses:
How long did it take (you) to drive home home yesterday?
It took (me) about an hour.
It won't take long for dinner to be ready.
It doesn't take Tom more than five minutes to clean his room.

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PRESENT PERFECT
Form: The present perfect is formed with the auxiliary "have" or "has" and the past participle
of the main verb:

Affirmative Negative Interrogative Short answer

Yes, I / you / they /
I / you / they / we I / you / they / we Have I / you / they / we have
have visited haven't visited we visited? No, I / you / they /
we haven't
Yes, he / she / it has
he / she / it has he / she / it hasn't Has he / she / it
visited visited visited? No, he / she / it
hasn't

Use: This structure usually implies that there is some kind of connection between the past and
the present:
I can't drive you to the airport. I have sold my car. (the action of selling the car happened in the
past, but there is a present consequence)
We can use the present perfect to talk about past actions when we don't say when. Compare:
I have been to London.
I went to London last year.
We can also use the present perfect with the word "just" to indicate a recently finished action*:
I’ve just had breakfast.
* This structure is less common in American English. Instead, the past simple is often used;
especially in spoken situations.

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PRESENT PERFECT: 'HAVE + EVER'

EVER /evə/
We can use "ever" with the present perfect or past simple to mean "at any moment until now".
It normally goes before the main verb in interrogative structures:
Have you ever been in a hot-air balloon?
Have you ever tried African food?
In American English, this use of "ever" is more common with the past simple than with the
present perfect:
Did you ever see a ghost?

PRESENT PERFECT: 'HAVE + JUST'

JUST /ʤʌst/
We can use "just" with the present perfect or past simple to mean "a very short time ago". It
normally goes before the main verb:
I have just eaten.
I just finished the last episode.
In American English, this use of "just" is more common with the past simple than with the
present perfect.

● DIALOGUE LISTENING AND READING

You are going to watch the video again and read the subtitles. Pay attention since then you will
have to answer a series of questions.
The Golden Gate Bridge.
I haven't been to the Golden Gate Bridge for years.
Have you been to the Golden Gate Bridge?
I haven't been there since Reginald died in 1988.
I know.
We had a wonderful time.
They have lovely botanical gardens near the Golden Gate Bridge.

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Do they?

I've wanted to see the gardens for a long time.

Here. Turn left and take the ferry.
What?
Let's go to the Golden Gate Bridge!
Betty and I have been to the Golden Gate Bridge.
Have you? Isn't it lovely?
Here's the turn. Come on!

● DIALOGUE UNDERSTANDING
Look at the statements and choose True or False.
1 Everyone has been to the Golden Gate Bridge.

True
False

2 They have to turn right to get to the Golden Gate Bridge.

True
False

3 They need to change the method of transport to go to the Golden Gate Bridge.

True
False

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● CAN YOU REMEMBER?

Choose the correct option from the list to complete the extracts from the video.
1 Ruth: I haven't been to the Golden Gate Bridge years.

for
since

2 Ruth: I haven't been there Reginald died in 1988.

for
since

● FOR VS. SINCE

Match for and since with when we use them to make rules.

For Periods of time (e.g. 6 years, 2 months)

Since Points in time (e.g. 6 years ago, 1988)

● FOR / SINCE / AGO

Listen and repeat.
How long has she lived in New York?
She has lived in New York for three months.
She has lived in New York since April.
When did she move to New York?
She moved to New York three months ago.
How long have they been married?
They have been married for six days.
They have been married since Tuesday.
When did they get married?
They got married six days ago.

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How long has he played the piano?

He has played the piano for fifteen years.
He has played the piano since he was five.
When did he start playing the piano?
He started playing the piano fifteen years ago.
How long have you studied English?
I have studied English for six months.
I have studied English since the first school day.
When did you start studying English?
I started studying English six months ago.

● FOR / SINCE / AGO: EXERCISE 1

Fill in the gaps with "for", "since" or "ago".
Example:
How long has she lived in Boston?
She has lived in Boston for twenty years.
1 How long has she lived in Boston?
She has lived in Boston twenty years.

ago
for
since

2 We haven't eaten breakfast.

ago
for
since

We're very hungry.

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3 When did you learn to swim?

I learnt to swim twelve years .

ago
for
since

4 Are you going to do the dishes? You haven't done the dishes last Friday.

ago
for
since

5 Is Andy ill?
Yes, he's been in bed a week.

ago
for
since

6 The TV show started two minutes .

ago
for
since

7 We haven't seen Betty New Year's Day.

ago
for
since

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● FOR / SINCE / AGO: EXERCISE 2

Complete the sentences with for, since, or ago.
Example: They haven't watered the plants for two weeks.
1 They haven't watered the plants two weeks.

ago
for
since

2 It hasn't rained April.

ago
for
since

3 We haven't fed the dog yesterday.

ago
for
since

4 He hasn't cleaned his room two weeks.

ago
for
since

5 I have been at work seven o'clock this morning.

ago
for
since

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● FOR / SINCE: CHOOSE AN OPTION

Fill in the gaps with "for" or "since".
Example: He has been away for a year.
1 He has been away a year.

for
since

2 I have been in jail ten years.

for
since

3 They have lived in Canada they were born.

for
since

4 We have had this house three years.

for
since

5 Are you ready?

I've been ready an hour.

for
since

6 His friend hasn't spoken to him that big argument.

for
since

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● FOR / SINCE: CHOOSE AN OPTION

Fill in the gaps with "for" or "since".
Example: He's worked for the company since he left university.
1 He's worked for the company he left college.

for
since

2 He has wanted a bicycle a long time.

for
since

3 We haven't had a drink this morning.

We are very thirsty.

for
since

4 My boyfriend hasn't sent me a letter a month.

for
since

5 I haven't received an anniversary present years.

for
since

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● PRESENT PERFECT
Complete the dialogue. Use for, since, or a verb in the appropriate tense.
1 Darling, when was the last time you to France?

have been
went

2
Well mom, I think I haven't been to France 7 years!
3
Oh really? That means that you haven't traveled to France 2009.
4
Exactly, it has been / was 7 years since the last time I went there. What about you?
When was the last time you have traveled / traveled ?
5
It has been a long time. I haven't traveled almost 10 years.
6 I can't believe it! That's such a long time!
7
I know! Actually, I haven't been on a plane 2006.
8 We have to travel together soon! I am going to plan a trip!
9 Great! Good idea.

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