Duration up to Present

Expressing Duration up to the Present:

• Present Perfect Tense: Used for actions that started in the past and continue up to now. Often used with time expressions like for and since.
  • Example: I have lived here for five years.
• Present Perfect Continuous Tense: Focuses on the ongoing nature and duration of the action.
  • Example: I have been living here for five years.

Using Time Expressions 'For' and 'Since':

• For is used with a period of time (e.g., for two hours, for five years).
• Since is used with a specific point in time (e.g., since 8 AM, since 2010).

Discussing Duration up to the Present

• Highlighting How Long: She has worked here for a decade.
• Pointing Out When It Started: He has been learning French since he was a child.
• Emphasizing Continuity: They have been renovating their house for months.

Common Mistakes When Talking About Duration

• Confusing 'For' and 'Since':
  • 🚫 Wrong: I have been studying since three hours.
  • ✅ Right: I have been studying for three hours.
• Using Simple Past for Ongoing Situations:
  • 🚫 Wrong: I lived here since 2015.
  • ✅ Right: I have lived here since 2015.
• Incorrect Verb Tense with 'Since' and 'For':
  • 🚫 Wrong: They have been finished the project for two weeks.
  • ✅ Right: They have been working on the project for two weeks.
• Omitting 'For' or 'Since' in Time Expressions:
  • 🚫 Wrong: She has been teaching three years.
  • ✅ Right: She has been teaching for three years.
• Misusing Present Continuous for Permanent Situations:
  • 🚫 Wrong: I am living in New York for five years.
  • ✅ Right: I have been living in New York for five years.