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For, since, from 

For vs Since
We can use for and since with present perfect or past perfect simple or continuous.

We use for + a period of time, e.g. for two weeks, for ten years, for ten days, for a few


hours, etc.
 We’ve been here for a few hours. 
 He’s been studying for a long time. 
 When I met them, they had been married for ten years. 

We can also use for with the past simple when an action or event started in the past
and also finished in the past after some time. Compare:

 I have lived in London for 20 years. (=I am living in London now. The action has
not finished.)
 I lived in London for 20 years. (=I am not living in London now. The action
started and finished in the past.)

We use since + a starting point (the moment that marks the beginning of a period of


time), e.g. since I was born, since 10 o’clock, since last Wednesday, etc.

 We’ve been here since 4 o’clock. 


 He’s been studying since he got up. 
 They had been married since 2010. 

Since vs From
We use since and from + starting point. They are used to mark the beginning of
something: an action, a state or an event.

We normally use since with the present or past perfect to talk about the duration of an
action, event or state. Since indicates the starting point of this action, event or state.

 I have known John since I was a child. 


 He’s been working for us since he finished school. 
 I was exhausted; I had been at work since six a.m.

We use from in other cases.

 Masks will be compulsory from tomorrow. 


 I’m usually here from six o’clock. 

When we use from to indicate the starting point of something, we can also


use to or until/till to mark its endpoint.

 I work from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (or until/till 6 p.m.)


 The city reported 400 new COVID-19
cases from Friday to Sunday. (or until/till Sunday)

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