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'During' and 'for' can be a little tricky. They both talk about time, but they're different. Here's how
they work.
During
1) During means: at one point or points between the beginning and end of a period of time or an
event. We don't know exactly when.
However, we don't use 'during' with every period of time. Usually we prefer:
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2) During means: all through a period of time.
• I'm staying in London during the holidays (= I'm staying in London from the beginning of the
holidays to the end of the holidays).
• She was quiet during the meeting (= she was quiet from the beginning of the meeting to the
end of the meeting)
• The children go to bed early during the week (every night in the week - not the weekend - the
children go to bed early).
For meaning 1, the verb is generally something that doesn't last as long as the whole time period. For
example, 'wake up' is a short action, so 'I woke up during the night' probably means 'I woke up at one
point during the night'.
For meaning 2, the verb is generally something that lasts for a period of time (like 'stay') or something
that is repeated (like 'go to bed'). For example, 'I stayed in London during the holidays' probably
means 'I stayed in London from the beginning of the holidays to the end of the holidays'.
For
For tells us 'how long'. It's generally used with a number (or 'a') and a time word: four years, three
months, six hours.
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Let's review! Put in 'for' or 'during'.
8. Can I take you out for dinner _____________ your visit to London?
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Answers
1. during
2. for
3. during
4. for
5. for
6. during
7. for
8. during
9. for
10. during
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