Present perfect: for and since
for et since mesurent avec le present perfect une durée qui va jusqu'à maintenant, mais ils la regardent par des bouts differents. Ici tu revois la distinction for + durée et since + point de départ avec des règles nettes.
Apprentissage rapide
for et since mesurent tous deux une portion de temps qui atteint le présent, mais ils la mesurent par des bouts differents.
À retenir
- for prend une durée : for three years, for ten minutes.
- since prend un point de départ : since 2019, since Monday, since I moved.
- Les deux décrivent une situation encore vraie ; c'est pour cela que le temps est un perfect.
Exemples
- 1We have lived in this quiet seaside neighborhood for seven years.
- 2Sarah has worked as a graphic designer at the agency since 2020.
Piège courant à éviter
since marque un point de départ même quand ce point est une proposition entière : since I was a child est correct, for I was a child ne l'est pas.
Approfondir
La règle
Past into present
The Present Perfect connects the past to the present moment. When combined with the time prepositions FOR and SINCE, it describes an action, condition, or state that began in the past and continues uninterrupted up to and including the present time.
Form
Formula: Subject + have / has + past participle (e.g. worked, lived, been, known). Pronoun Concord: I, you, we, they take have / haven't + past participle.
- We have lived here for five years
He, she, it takes has / hasn't + past participle.
- She has worked at the clinic since 2019
For or since
The Critical Contrast: FOR vs. SINCE:
(1) FOR is used with a duration or period of time (answering the question "How long?"): for twenty minutes, for three days, for six months, for four years, for a long time, for centuries.
(2) SINCE is used with a specific starting point in time (answering the question "Since when?"): since Monday, since 9:00 AM, since January, since 2015, since breakfast, since yesterday, since I was a child. The action started at that named moment and continues into the present.
Anatomie de la phrase
Des phrases de cette leçon, découpées dans l'ordre qu'exige l'anglais.
SujetWeAuxiliairehaveVerbelivedLieuin this quiet seaside neighborhoodTempsfor seven years.
SujetSarahAuxiliairehasVerbeworkedAttributas a graphic designerLieuat the agencyTempssince 2020.
SujetSheAuxiliairehasNégationnotVerbeeatenObjetanythingTempssince eight o'clock this morning.
Guide visuel
How to read this A2 topic
At A2, the challenge is choosing between similar time frames, pronouns, and quantity patterns.
1. Look for the time clue
Yesterday, now, every day, already, and since often decide the tense.
I watched it yesterday.
2. Choose the pattern first
Pick the whole grammar structure before choosing the final word.
I am going to study.
3. Check word position
Adverbs, objects, and pronouns must sit in natural English order.
I know him well.
Perfect aspect
Perfect forms connect one time to another: earlier to now, earlier to a past point, or duration up to a point.
| Form | Pattern | Core use | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| present perfect | have / has + past participle | past result or experience now | I have finished. |
| present perfect continuous | have / has been + -ing | duration up to now | She has been studying. |
| past perfect | had + past participle | earlier than another past event | They had left before noon. |
| past perfect continuous | had been + -ing | duration before a past point | I had been waiting. |
Contrasts that often decide the answer
Event or background
Simple forms move events forward; continuous forms show an action in progress.
I left while she was talking.
Fact or stance
Modals, hedges, and reporting structures show how certain or responsible the speaker sounds.
This may indicate a problem.
Clause or compressed phrase
Advanced writing often compresses full clauses into participle, noun, or prepositional phrases.
Having reviewed the data, we revised the plan.
Exemples
- 1We have lived in this quiet seaside neighborhood for seven years.
- 2Sarah has worked as a graphic designer at the agency since 2020.
- 3I have known my best friend Michael since we were in primary school.
- 4They have been married for fifteen happy years and have two children.
- 5He has studied English grammar every single day since last October.
- 6The historic library building has stood on this corner for over a century.
- 7She has not eaten anything since eight o'clock this morning.
- 8How long have you lived in this sunny southern European city?
- 9My brother has had this reliable red bicycle for more than three years.
- 10We haven't heard from our old university classmates since graduation day.
Exceptions
Cross-Linguistic Tense Transfer: In languages like French, German, Spanish, and Turkish, an ongoing duration starting in the past is often expressed with the present simple. English strictly requires the Present Perfect: say "I have lived here for two years", never "I live here for two years". Clause Anchors with Since: Since can introduce a past simple clause that serves as a specific time anchor: "We have been close friends since we met at university."
Erreurs fréquentes
Using present simple for ongoing periods
Erreur
I work here since three years.
Correct
I have worked here for three years.
Ongoing periods require present perfect with for.
Swapping for and since
Erreur
She has been sick since three days.
Correct
She has been sick for three days.
Durations require for.
Using since with durations
Erreur
since two hours
Correct
for two hours.
Since demands a starting point.
Récap
L'essentiel de la leçon sur une carte, avant de te tester.
À retenir
- for prend une durée : for three years, for ten minutes.
- since prend un point de départ : since 2019, since Monday, since I moved.
- Les deux décrivent une situation encore vraie ; c'est pour cela que le temps est un perfect.
Erreurs fréquentes
Erreur: I work here since three years.
Correct: I have worked here for three years.Erreur: She has been sick since three days.
Correct: She has been sick for three days.Erreur: since two hours
Correct: for two hours.
Teste-toi
Écris trois phrases justes avec for et trois avec since, puis entraîne-toi.
Points de grammaire associés
Poursuivez votre apprentissage avec d'autres notions de ce niveau.