A.
Compare When ...? (+ past simple) and How long ...? (+ present perfect):
A: When
did it start raining?
B: It
started raining an hour ago/at 1 o'clock.
A: How
long has it been raining?
B: It's
been raining for an hour/since 1 o'clock.
A: When
did Joe and Carol first meet?
B: They
first met a long time ago/when they were at school.
A: How
long have Joe and Carol known each other?
B:
They've known each other for a long time./since they were at school.
B.
We use both for and since to say how long something has been happening.
We use
for when we say a period of time (two hours, six weeks etc.):
* I've
been waiting for two hours.
for two
hours
two
hours ago -> now
two
hours/a week/20 minutes/50 years/five days/a long time/six months/ages
*
Sally's been working here for six months. (not 'since six months')
* I
haven't seen Tom for three days. (not 'since three days')
We use
since when we say the start of a period (8 o'clock, Monday, 1985 etc.):
* I've
been waiting since 8 o'clock.
since 8
o'clock
8
o'clock -> now
since
8
o'clock/1977/Monday/Christmas/12 May/lunchtime/April/they were at school
*
Sally's been working here since April. (= from April until now)
* I
haven't seen Tom since Monday. (= from Monday until now)
It is
possible to leave out for (but not usually in negative sentences):
*
They've been married (for) ten years. (with or without for)
* They
haven't had a holiday for ten years. (you must use for)
We do
not use for + all ... (all day/all my life etc.):
* I've
lived here all my life. (not 'for all my life')
C.
We say 'It's (a long time/two years etc.) since something happened':
* It's
two years since I last saw Joe. (= I haven't seen Joe for two years/the last
time I saw Joe was two years ago)
* It's
ages since we went to the cinema. (= We haven't been to the cinema for ages)
The
question is How long is it since ...?
* How
long is it since you last saw Joe? (= When did you last see Joe?)
* How
long is it since Mrs Hill died? (= When did Mrs Hill die?)
EXERCISES
12.1
Write questions with how long and when.
1. It's
raining.
(how
long?) How long has it been raining?
(when?)
When did it start raining?
2. Kate
is learning Italian.
(how
long/learn?)
(when/start/learn?)
3. I
know Martin.
(how
long/know?)
(when/first/meet?)
4. Bob
and Alice are married.
(how
long?)
(when?)
12.2
Read the situations and complete the sentences beginning in the way shown.
1. (It's
raining now. It's been raining since lunchtime.) It started raining at
lunchtime.
2. (Ann
and I are friends. We first met years ago.) We've known each other for years.
3. (Mark
is ill. He became ill on Sunday.) He has ---
4. (Mark
is ill. He became ill a few days ago.) He has ---
5.
(Sarah is married. She's been married for two years.) She got ---
6.
(You've got a camera. You bought it ten years ago.) I've ---
7. (Sue
has been in France for the last three weeks.) She went ---
8.
(You're working in a hotel. You started in June.) I've ---
12.3
Put in for or since.
1. It's
been raining since lunchtime.
2. Tom's
father has been doing the same job --- 20 years.
3. Have
you been learning English ---a long time?
4. Sarah
has lived in London --- 1985.
5. ---
Christmas, the weather has been quite good.
6.
Please hurry up! We've been waiting --- an hour.
7. Kevin
has been looking for a job --- he left school.
8. The
house is very dirty. We haven't cleaned it --- ages.
9. I
haven't had a good meal --- last Tuesday.
12.4
Write Bs sentences using the words in brackets.
1. A: Do
you often go on holiday?
B:
(no/five years) No, I haven't had a holiday for five years.
2. A: Do
you often eat in restaurants?
B:
(no/ages) No, I ---
3. A: Do
you often see Sarah?
B:
(no/about a month) ---
4. A: Do
you often go to the cinema?
B: (no/a
long time) ---
Now
write B's answers again. This time use It's ... since...
5. (1)
No, it's five years since I had a holiday.
6. (2)
No, it's ---
7. (3)
No, ---
8. (4)
---
