Business English B1 · Lesson 5B

Grammar Bank

The rules behind this lesson — form, use, model sentences and the mistakes to avoid.

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Grammar focus of this lesson

Present perfect with 'just / already / yet · for / since'

2 structures

Present perfect + for / since
For situations that started in the past and are still true now.
I've got this
Rules & form
- ›have / has + past participle.
- ›for + a period: for three years, for ten minutes.
- ›since + a starting point: since 2019, since Monday, since I moved here.
- ›Question: How long have you…?
Examples
- “I've lived here for six years.”
- “She's worked in marketing since university.”
- “How long have you known each other?”
Watch out · I am here since 2019 ✗ → I've been here since 2019 ✓.
Your own example
for / since
Two ways to measure the same unfinished period.
I've got this
Rules & form
- ›for answers How long? with a duration.
- ›since answers Since when? with a point in time.
- ›Both usually go with the present perfect (simple or continuous).
- ›during + noun (during the meeting) is different: it locates, it doesn't measure.
Examples
- “We've been partners for years.”
- “Nothing has changed since 2019.”
- “I've been waiting since two o'clock.”
Watch out · since three hours ✗ → for three hours ✓.
Your own example