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The English language, while generally quite flexible, has some rather fixed uses of for and since
when used to talk about something in the past as it continues to the present. While I havent found an
exact rule that fits every possible use, the following examples may help you to formulate sentences and
questions using these two tricky words. The rules follow after the examples.
The phrases which use for as well as the phrases which use since may be placed at the beginning
or the end of the sentence. For example, For years, we have gone sailing on most sunny Sundays.
And I have hated onions since I was a child.
Most of the time, since could also be stated as ever since because it refers to continuous or a
repeated action or state, but not for examples 4, 5 and 7, because they are about a one-time event.
Sometimes since refers to something that is continuous, but sometimes it is nearly a synonym for
because, as in 4, 5 and 7.
Use for for unspecified long and short periods of time, but also with specific numbers of years,
months, weeks, days when the event or action continues up to the present time.
Use since when you refer to a continuous action, state or belief that began at a specific time or
event, or use since when it is a condition that the sentence relies on, like because. Since A, B
exists.
Since does NOT go with specific numbers of years, months, weeks or days but you COULD use it
with last as in last year, last month, last week or yesterday when the action or state continues to
the present.