BASIC-GRAMMAR-U-11.3

	11.3.	*Present perfect with for and since*
		*How long…?*

Woman:	Where do you live?
Man:	In London.
Woman:	How long have you lived there?
Man:	For five years.
Woman:	And you’ve started your
	own business.
Man:	Yes, I have. I’ve had the business
	for two years.

PRESENTATION

Use the present perfect to talk about actions that started in the past and continue in the present.

	I’ve lived in London for* five years. (and I live there now).*

for and since

Use for with the present perfect to show the duration of a present situation.

My brother’s a doctor. He became a doctor five years ago: He’s been a doctor for five years.

Use since with the present perfect to show the starting point of a present situation.

I support Real Madrid. I started supporting them since 1995: I’ve supported Real Madrid since 1995.

How long…?

Use How long…? with the present perfect to ask about the duration of a present situation.

How long have you lived there? For five years.

Key vocabulary

Life events: become/be a (doctor), buy/have a car, get/be married, meet/know somebody, move to/ live in a town,

start/have your own business, start supporting/support a football team, make/have a million dollars

11.3.