Can you guess?

Pre-intermediate (A2) 30 minutes
ESL For and Since Game resource preview for pre-intermediate A2: sentence completion, guessing, group work activities

ESL For and Since Game - Grammar: Sentence Completion, Guessing, Forming Sentences - Group Work

Here is a fun for and since game to help students practice the present perfect and time expressions with for and since. First, students complete present perfect for and since sentences with true...

ESL For and Since Game - Grammar: Sentence Completion, Guessing, Forming Sentences - Group Work Here is a fun for and since game to help students practice the present perfect and time expressions with for and since. First, students complete present perfect for and since sentences with true information about themselves. In groups, students then make guesses about what the other students wrote in their sentences by writing a point in time or period of time in a chart on their worksheet. Next, students take turns giving their guesses for one of the group member's first sentence. The three students do this by each making a sentence in turn, e.g. 'I think you've had your mobile phone for nine months', etc. When all three students have given their guesses, the other student reveals the correct answer. If a student guessed correctly, they score two points. If no one got the right answer, one point is awarded to the student(s) who gave the closest guess. Students then take turns giving their guesses for another group member's first sentence, and so on. The student with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Exclusive PDF Online

For and Since Exchange

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
ESL For and Since Activity resource preview for pre-intermediate A2: grammar and speaking, asking questions, pair and group work

ESL For and Since Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Forming, Asking and Answering Questions, Controlled and Freer Practice - Group and Pair Work

In this insightful for and since speaking activity, students practice forming and asking 'How long have you...?' conversation questions and responding with...

ESL For and Since Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Forming, Asking and Answering Questions, Controlled and Freer Practice - Group and Pair Work In this insightful for and since speaking activity, students practice forming and asking 'How long have you...?' conversation questions and responding with for and since. First, in two groups, students complete each conversation question using the verb in brackets in the present perfect tense and the pronoun 'you'. Next, students pair up with someone from the other group and take turns asking the 'How long have you...?' conversation questions and responding with for or since. Afterwards, students share what they found out about their partner with the class.
Exclusive PDF Online

For and Since Practice

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
ESL For and Since Worksheet resource preview for pre-intermediate A2: gap-fill, matching, rewriting, answering questions

ESL For and Since Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Gap-fill, Matching, Rewriting Sentences, Answering Questions

In this free for and since worksheet, students identify and practice the use of for and since to express the duration of an unfinished action or event. To begin, students write for or since beside time expressions...

ESL For and Since Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Gap-fill, Matching, Rewriting Sentences, Answering Questions In this free for and since worksheet, students identify and practice the use of for and since to express the duration of an unfinished action or event. To begin, students write for or since beside time expressions. Next, students match for and since sentence halves together. Students then complete sentences with for or since. Students then move on to rewrite sentences, changing present perfect sentences with for to present perfect sentences with since, or vice-versa. Lastly, students answer questions using for or since.
Online

For or Since?

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
ESL For and Since Activities resource preview for pre-intermediate A2: categorizing, matching, grammar game

ESL For and Since Activities - Grammar Exercise and Game: Categorizing, Matching

This entertaining for or since worksheet and game helps to teach students how to use for and since with time words and expressions. Students begin by reviewing the rules for using for and since with time words and expressions. Students then...

ESL For and Since Activities - Grammar Exercise and Game: Categorizing, Matching This entertaining for or since worksheet and game helps to teach students how to use for and since with time words and expressions. Students begin by reviewing the rules for using for and since with time words and expressions. Students then put time words and expressions into the correct for or since column on their worksheet. Next, give each student a set of for and since cards and have the students stand up. Call out various time words and expressions. After each word or expression has been called out, students hold up the correct for or since card. If a student holds up the wrong card or is too slow, they are out of the game and must sit down. Before a student sits down, they make a present perfect for or since sentence with the time word or expression they got wrong. The last student left standing wins the game.
Exclusive PDF Online

How long have you...?

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
ESL For and Since Activity resource preview for pre-intermediate A2: class survey, present perfect, question practice

ESL For and Since Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Forming, Asking and Answering Questions, Controlled and Freer Practice

In this engaging present perfect for and since activity, students practice time expressions with for and since by asking and answering 'How long have you...?' questions in a class survey. Students start by...

ESL For and Since Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Forming, Asking and Answering Questions, Controlled and Freer Practice In this engaging present perfect for and since activity, students practice time expressions with for and since by asking and answering 'How long have you...?' questions in a class survey. Students start by changing the verbs in the questions on their worksheet into their past participle forms to create interview questions, e.g. 'How long have you been awake?' Students then stand up and go around the classroom asking a different question to each classmate. When a classmate replies to a question, they give two answers, one using the word for and one using the word since. The other student writes these answers and their name on the worksheet. Afterwards, students report back to the class on what they found out.
Exclusive PDF Online

Did you write this?

Intermediate (B1) 25 minutes
ESL For and Since Game resource preview for intermediate B1: writing, asking questions, present perfect, speaking

ESL For and Since Game - Grammar and Speaking: Writing Sentences, Asking and Answering Questions, Freer Practice

In this enjoyable for and since game, students complete present perfect simple and continuous for and since sentences with true information and then find out who wrote other sentences by asking...

ESL For and Since Game - Grammar and Speaking: Writing Sentences, Asking and Answering Questions, Freer Practice In this enjoyable for and since game, students complete present perfect simple and continuous for and since sentences with true information and then find out who wrote other sentences by asking 'How long have you...?' questions. First, students write true present perfect simple or continuous for and since sentences, e.g. 'I have studied English for five years', or 'I have been studying English for five years.' All the students then fold up their sentences and put them in a box. Next, students find out who wrote each sentence by asking questions in the present perfect simple or continuous, according to the tense of the sentence. All the students stand up and take one sentence card from the box. Students then go around the class asking 'How long have you...?' questions to find the person who wrote the sentence on their card. Students reply to questions by making complete present perfect sentences. When a student finds the person who wrote the sentence, they write the person's name on the card, keep it and take another one from the box. The student with the most sentences at the end wins the game.
Exclusive PDF Online

For and Since Challenge

Intermediate (B1) 20 minutes
ESL For and Since Game resource preview for intermediate B1: matching, forming sentences, pair work

ESL For and Since Game - Grammar: Matching, Forming Sentences - Pair Work

In this free for and since game, students practice completing sentences with for or since and time expressions. In pairs, students take turns turning over one sentence card and one time expression card. If the time expression matches and can...

ESL For and Since Game - Grammar: Matching, Forming Sentences - Pair Work In this free for and since game, students practice completing sentences with for or since and time expressions. In pairs, students take turns turning over one sentence card and one time expression card. If the time expression matches and can be used to form an appropriate sentence, the student reads the sentence aloud using for or since, keeps the two cards and has another turn. If the cards don't match or a sentence is formed incorrectly, the student turns the two cards back over, keeping them in the same place. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
Online

For and Since Survey

Intermediate (B1) 25 minutes
ESL For and Since Activity resource preview for intermediate B1: class survey, asking and answering questions, present perfect

ESL For and Since Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Survey, Forming, Asking and Answering Questions

In this productive for and since speaking activity, students conduct a survey where they ask and answer 'How long have you...?' questions. Give each student a question card, e.g. 'Who has had their bag for...

ESL For and Since Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Survey, Forming, Asking and Answering Questions In this productive for and since speaking activity, students conduct a survey where they ask and answer 'How long have you...?' questions. Give each student a question card, e.g. 'Who has had their bag for the longest and shortest amount of time?' First, students write the How long have you...? question they need to ask to answer the question on their card, e.g. 'How long have you had your bag?' Students then go around the class asking and answering their questions. Students reply to each question by making a present perfect sentence with for or since, e.g. 'I've had my bag for six months.' 'I've had my bag since 2022.' Students write the names of their classmates and replies on a separate piece of paper. When everyone has finished, students give feedback to the class on their results.
Exclusive PDF Online

Oak Avenue

Intermediate (B1) 25 minutes
ESL For and Since Worksheet resource preview for intermediate B1: reading, sentence completion, writing questions

ESL For and Since Worksheet - Grammar and Reading Exercises: Sentence Completion, Writing Questions and Sentences

In this useful present perfect with for and since worksheet, students read about people who live on a street and complete exercises about them to practice the present perfect with for and since. Students...

ESL For and Since Worksheet - Grammar and Reading Exercises: Sentence Completion, Writing Questions and Sentences In this useful present perfect with for and since worksheet, students read about people who live on a street and complete exercises about them to practice the present perfect with for and since. Students start by reading about the people who live in the houses on Oak Avenue. Students then complete sentences about the people using verbs in the present perfect and for or since. Next, students write present perfect 'How long...?' questions for a set of answers about the people. Finally, students write about what the residents of Oak Avenue have in common by making sentences with for or since.
Exclusive PDF Online

Understanding the Present Perfect with For and Since

For and since are the two time expressions used with the present perfect to talk about how long something has been true. For introduces a period of time, as in 'I've lived here for three years,' while since introduces a starting point, as in 'I've lived here since 2021.' Students who mix up the two produce sentences that confuse a listener or reader about whether a duration or a date is being given, and at higher levels, the error signals a gap in grammatical control that undermines the accuracy of their whole present perfect use.

This page covers present perfect with for and since at A2 and B1 levels, with nine activities ranging from gap-fill worksheets and card-matching pair games to group guessing games and class surveys, including two free downloads.

This table shows the types of time expressions that follow for and since in present perfect sentences, with an example of each pattern.

WordTime Expression TypeExample
for a period of time (duration) 'I've worked here for six months.'
since a point in time (starting point) 'I've worked here since June.'
for a specific number and time unit 'She has studied English for three years.'
since a specific year or date 'She has studied English since 2021.'
for a general time span with no number 'He hasn't slept for days.'
since a named event or life moment 'He hasn't slept since the baby arrived.'

When to Use the Present Perfect with For and Since

Describing ongoing life situations: Speakers choose for or since with the present perfect when a situation started in the past and is still true now, so a job applicant describing current experience would say 'I've worked in sales for four years' rather than using the simple past, which would wrongly imply the job has ended.

Asking how long something has lasted: The question 'How long have you...?' is the natural social prompt when you want to find out the duration of someone's current situation, inviting a for or since answer in everyday conversation, as in 'How long have you lived in this city?'

Anchoring continuity to a specific moment in writing: Writers choose the present perfect with since when they want to tie an ongoing situation to a documented starting point, giving a statement historical weight, as in 'The company has operated from this location since 1998.'

3-Step Framework for Teaching the Present Perfect with For and Since

1. Build Form Recognition First: Before students can produce for and since naturally, they need to see the contrast clearly on paper. Start with structured written exercises that move from identifying each word beside time expressions and matching sentence halves, all the way to rewriting sentences by changing present perfect sentences with for to sentences with since, or vice versa. That swapping task makes the distinction click because students must think about both words at the same time.

2. Add a Guessing Challenge: Once students can handle the forms, put them in groups and have them produce for and since sentences with real personal information. The competitive element sharpens accuracy: a correct guess earns two points, while the student who gave the closest guess earns one point if nobody got it right. That scoring pressure keeps students listening carefully and checking every sentence against what they know about their classmates.

3. Push into Freer Practice: At intermediate level, raise the stakes by having students produce both the present perfect simple and continuous alongside for and since, writing true sentences such as 'I have studied English for five years' or 'I have been studying English for five years.' A class mingle where students hunt down who wrote each sentence gives them repeated, natural practice with the question form under real communicative pressure.

Common Mistakes with the Present Perfect with For and Since

Using 'since' with a period of time: Students often use 'since' with a length of time instead of 'for,' treating the two words as interchangeable when they have very different functions. Wrong: 'I've lived here since three years.' Correct: 'I've lived here for three years.'

Using the past simple instead of the present perfect: Students often use the past simple tense with for or since when describing something that started in the past and is still ongoing, typically because their first language uses a past form in this context. When the situation is still true at the time of speaking, the present perfect is required. Wrong: 'I worked here for five years.' Correct: 'I've worked here for five years.'

Common Questions About Teaching the Present Perfect with For and Since

What is a fun game for teaching for and since?

The game For or Since? is a fast-paced elimination game where a time expression is called out and students race to hold up the correct card. Any student who holds up the wrong card or responds too slowly is out, but must first produce a present perfect sentence using that expression. The last student standing wins.

What is a good for and since worksheet?

The free worksheet For and Since Practice gives students a clear path from recognition to production. They start by writing for or since beside time expressions, match sentence halves, complete gap-fill sentences, then rewrite sentences by swapping for and since. A final section has students answer questions using their own for and since responses.

What is an engaging speaking activity for practicing for and since?

Turning grammar into a live information exchange makes for and since feel purposeful rather than mechanical. In the activity For and Since Survey, each student gets a question card and surveys classmates using 'How long have you...?' questions. Classmates reply with a present perfect sentence using for or since, such as 'I've had my bag since 2022.'

Become a Teach This Member

Get unlimited access to the full library, plus new resources added every week.

Unlimited Resource Access

Download from 3000+ worksheets, activities, and games.

Save 5+ Hours Weekly

Cut lesson prep time with ready-to-use resources, plus teacher notes and answer keys.

Trusted Professional Quality

Classroom-tested, editable resources created by experienced ESL professionals.

Fresh Content Weekly

Get 5 new resources added to the library each week.

Join Now Just $29.99 quarterly

Here's what our members are saying...

Jose Pinto

ESL Teacher, Timor-Leste

"There are a lot of resources that are useful for teaching English. I downloaded the games which are handy and use them in my classes. With the games, my students never skip class or feel tired to learn English. The resources for teaching English helped my students progress in grammar, vocabulary, writing and comprehension. They also helped me a lot to guide my students to learn in a practical way."

★★★★★

Julia Lohla

English Instructor, United States

"Thank you for providing these incredible resources. Teach-This.com is always my go-to site for class activities, and I recommend it often. I love how it is organized. I can find resources for a specific grammar concept or language function by level and type of activity. Every time I visit your site, I discover a new classroom interaction strategy that's perfect for teaching the concept I'm focusing on! When I return after the holidays, yours will be the first subscription I restart."

★★★★★

Carrie Brooke-Mellor

ESOL Teacher, United Kingdom

"I am an ESOL teacher, and the resources have helped my classes enormously. In particular, the speaking activities were a great help for my intermediate students before their exam. The website is user-friendly, and I will continue to utilise the resources - next term is reading and comprehension, so I will be looking for more resources from you. Thank you for such helpful activities and worksheets. They save me a lot of time in class preparation."

★★★★★

Charlie Sanders

ESL Teacher, France

"Teach This is an absolutely brilliant website, offering a vast amount of high-quality content, much of it free. Everyone involved in its creation deserves commendation. The leadership's vision has my deepest respect and gratitude. It's undoubtedly the best resource for English teachers, with its clear layout, easy navigation, concise messaging, and lack of invasive advertising - rare qualities that Teach This has perfected."

★★★★★

Joy Tebow

English Teacher, Laos

"When I need to add or change an activity from my school's curriculum, I always turn to TeachThis. While our curriculum is usually very good, it sometimes doesn't fit well with my students. With TeachThis, I can easily find activities that match my topic and level, and the resources make my classes more interesting and varied. I look forward to the monthly newsletter and exploring new materials for inspiration. Please keep it up!"

★★★★★

Mina Zolfaghari

English Tutor, Australia

"I like the efficiency and organization of the website. The resources cater to various levels with topic-based options for higher levels. The worksheets are very engaging and the answer keys are particularly helpful for teacher. The resources are also highly specific to levels and outcomes, making planning much easier. Finding what I need is simple and time-saving with the keyword search feature. Everything is clear and straightforward."

★★★★★

Karin Kiss

ESL Teacher, Switzerland

"The easy and ready-to-go materials have helped me a lot during the last few years. Most of all I like the grammar games that activate my pupils and keep them engaged. My lessons have become way more playful and varied. Additionally, I like the grammar worksheets which I use to consolidate what I have worked on during class. The website is very user-friendly, and I have never had any difficulties finding what I was looking for."

★★★★★

David-Wonbae Lee

Business English Teacher, Canada

"A friend told me about the site, and it's awesome. I have found the Business English resources especially engaging and relevant for my students as the materials help them understand business writing and terms. My teaching experience has also improved from using the games on the site as they allow me to teach in a fun way. The user experience is outstanding. Great job!"

★★★★★

Daniela Garcia

English Teacher, Mexico

"I found Teach-This a long time ago when I started teaching. It's always had great resources. I really appreciate the grammar materials, board games, and group activities. They've saved me lots of time on lesson planning. The materials are easy to use and understand, making my job much simpler. The best thing is that many resources can be downloaded for free. I've used it for around 8 years, and it consistently offers great content."

★★★★★

Thomas Wilson

Primary School Teacher, United Kingdom

"I use the resources from the Games Section as part of my daily 30-minute morning warm-up activities, and I've received rave reviews for using them. The games help me maintain student interest and participation and leave the students feeling happy and awake. I like everything about the site, and customer support is very effective as they respond in time."

★★★★★

Eugenia Fernandez

EFL Teacher, Argentina

"Teach-This is one of the best EFL websites I've found. It's extremely user-friendly, and I always find what I need quickly. I like the design, and the content is fun, engaging and original. I am very thankful for all your work and generosity by making some resources free. I always recommend this website to my fellow teachers. Your work is really helpful, and I value it enormously."

★★★★★

Jakub Havlk

Language School Teacher, Czechia

"I like the grammar-focused resources the most as they save me time. The resources also inspire me. If I see an interesting grammar activity, I often rework it for other grammar rules. I like the fact that I simply pay a flat fee, and I can download whatever I want. Teach-This really is a great timesaver. I know that if I am in need of resources for my students, I can go to Teach-This and find something interesting."

★★★★★

Alice Dimpz

English Teacher, Kenya

"Getting familiar with the site and how to use the resources is not difficult. I found the writing skills resources to be the most valuable as they have enhanced my teaching of this skill. The website is elaborate and full of all types of resources to help me teach English. When I contacted customer support, they were super-fast to deal with my enquiry. So overall, I recommend it."

★★★★★

Ikrram Badaoui

ESL Teacher, Morocco

"I have found the grammar and vocabulary resources the most valuable. They have improved my teaching experience because they are easy to use and well-organized. The materials are very engaging for my students. The website is also very user-friendly. The best thing about Teach-This is that it offers ready-made worksheets for busy teachers, and the content is well-organized and full of information."

★★★★★

Tania Ahmed

High School Teacher, Kurdistan

"I'm really glad I found the Teach-This website. The materials in the General English section have proven to be really helpful and made my classes more engaging. The materials are well-structured and cover a wide range of topics, making it easy to keep my students interested and motivated. Overall, my experience using your resources has been great."

★★★★★

Khawla Orq

EFL Teacher, Yemen

"My first impression of the website was that it was amazing. The games and activities have really improved my teaching. The resources are engaging and relevant to my students' needs, and I find the website easy to use and navigate. Thanks."

★★★★★

Anika Yadav

English Teacher, India

"I would like to thank you for making a fantastic website. I particularly enjoy teaching the functional language materials, which have been very helpful in my classes. The resources have significantly improved my students' communication skills in daily life, so it was rewarding to see them benefit in this way. It feels great to be able to make a difference in my students' lives. Please keep up the good work."

★★★★★

Dr. Elena Petrov

Academic English Coordinator, Spain

"I've been teaching Academic English for over eight years, and Teach-This.com has become my go-to resource for university preparation classes. The academic vocabulary exercises and speaking test preparation activities are exceptionally well-designed for advanced learners. My students particularly appreciate the study skills resources and paragraph writing materials, which have significantly boosted their confidence and exam scores."

★★★★★

Suzanne Coleman

Volunteer English Teacher, England

"I like your resources because they are so interesting and attractive. Your resources help to maintain student interest. Your resources have helped with the planning and preparation of my lessons because I have often been able to find resources focusing on specific topics, grammar or vocabulary. I am particularly grateful for your free resources, which I use at the English Club where I am a volunteer and help to support internationals in the community who are learning English."

★★★★★