1. Present perfect tense e.g. I’ve grown flowers for two years.
 We use the present perfect tense to talk about actions that started in the past and continue to the present.
e.g. I’ve grown flowers for two years.

2. Present perfect tense
 We use the present perfect tense with since and for to say how long an action has lasted.

3. Present perfect tense Since
 We use since with the present perfect tense to refer to the starting point of an action.
e.g. I have studied at this school since 1997.
Now 2002
starting time
(1997)
(1997 is a point of time, not a period of time.)

4. period of time (for five years)
Present perfect tense
For
 We use for with the present perfect tense to refer to a period of time.
e.g. I have studied at this school for five years.
Now 2002
starting time
since 1997
period of time (for five years)
( ‘Five years’ is a period of time, not a point of time.)

5. Now you try. 1 I have had piano lessons _____ ten years.
Use since or for.
1 I have had piano lessons _____ ten years.
2 Peter has collected stamps _____ 1990.
3 Pam has grown flowers _____ last year.
4 My brother has played football _____ two years.
5 John and Jenny have been friends _____ eight months.
6 They have done ballet _____ 2000.
7 My father has driven his car _____ 1996.
for
since
since
for
for
since
since

6. Present perfect tense e.g. How long have you stayed here?
 We use How long … with the present perfect tense to ask the length of a period of time.
e.g. How long have you stayed here?
 We use either since or for to answer How long questions.
e.g. I have stayed here since 1992. OR
I have stayed here for ten years.

7. Now you try. How long have you played the piano?
I have played the piano since 1995.
I have played the piano for seven years.
Now 2002
e.g.
1995 / 7 years

8. How long has Betty studied?
She has studied since six o’clock.
She has studied for four hours.
6 o’clock / 4 hours
Now o’clock

9. How long have you collected shells?
I have collected shells since 1999.
I have collected shells for three years.
1999 / 3 years
Now

10. How long have you done ballet?
I have done ballet since 1996.
I have done ballet for six years.
1996 / 6 years
Now

11. How long has he been a postman?
He has been a postman since 1982.
He has been a postman for twenty years.
1982 / 20 years
Now