LONGMAN ENGLISH GRAMMAR PRACTICE

7 Adverbs

7.3 Adverbial phrases of duration

7.3A 'Since', 'for' and 'ago' [> LEG 7.31,7.32,9.18]

Write 1 :

Write 2:

Study:

та

1 'Since' + a point of time [> 7.2A] answers Since when? We use since with the present perfect

to mark a period lasting till now: / haven't seen him since January. [> 9.5A, 10.2D]

2 'For' + period of time answers How long?VJe use for to refer to periods of time:

• in the past: My wife and I worked in America for five months.


• in the future: John will be staying in New York for two weeks.


• in the present perfect: I've known Susan for five years. [> 9.5A, 10.2D]

3 Period of time + 'ago' answers How long ago? and marks the start of a period going back from

now. We use ago with the simple past [> 9.3C]: I arrived here two months ago.

Show where since or ago will fit into these sentences.

SiMce- кИгш Льсшс...

1 When have you been interested in jazz? 4

2 I saw your mother a week. 5

3 I started work here seven months. 6

Show where since or for will fit into these sentences.

... for fwf. ишп...

1 They lived here five years before moving. 4

2 They have lived here 1984. 5

3 I've known him six years. 6

I saw her last week and haven't seen her.

I haven't been home 1987.

How long did you become a director?

I've been expecting a letter weeks.

I've been expecting a letter last week.

I've enjoyed jazz I was a boy.

7.3B 'Till' (or 'until') and 'by' [> LEG I.34]

Study: 1 Some verbs naturally refer to 'periods of time' or 'continuity' [> 9.5B]:

e.g. learn, lie, live, rain, sit, sleep, stand, stay, wait and work.

2 Till (or until) and by mean 'any time before and not later than'.

We cannot use by at all with these 'continuity' verbs. (Not 'I'll wait here by 5 o'clock.')

We can only use till (or until) with these verbs:

I'll wait here till (or until) 5 o'clock. I won't wait here till (or until) 5 o'clock.

3 We use by with verbs which do not refer to periods of time.

We can think of these as 'point of time verbs': e.g. arrive, come, finish, go, leave:

She will arrive by 5. (= any time before and not later than 5.)

She won't arrive by 5. She'll arrive at 6.

4 We use till or until with 'point of time verbs' only in the negative.

She won't arrive till (or until) 5. (But not 'She will arrive till 5. *)

Write: Supply by or till.

1 I'll wait tiM;.. Monday before answering his letter.

2 I intend to stay in bed 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.

3 Your suit will be ready Friday.

4 Your suit won't be ready Friday. You can collect it then.

5 Your suit won't be ready Friday. You can collect it next Monday.

6 I'm sure I will have left Monday.

7 Your aunt says she won't leave Monday. Monday's the day she's going to leave.