Grammar Practice in Context - David Bolton, Noel Goodey 1997
92 For, during, while
Quick reference
• For answers the question How tong?
How long did you stay in France? - I stayed for three months. (not during three months)
• Note these common expressions with for. They all have the sense of 'for a long time’: fora longtime, for hours, for days, for weeks, for months, for years, forages.
I sat by the phone for ages, but she didn’t ring.
• During doesn’t mean the same as for. It answers the questions When? In what period of time?
We use it before a noun, a fixed period of time (the day, the week, the winter, etc.).
During the week I don I get home before 6 p.m. I was in France during the summer
Note that we don’t use during with a number of days, weeks, etc.
/ went to Spain for two weeks. (Not during two weeks)
• We use during before an activity (lesson, conversation, war, holiday, etc.).
He went to sleep during the lesson. He didn't see his father during the war.
• While (= at the same time that’) is a link word. It’s followed by a subject + a verb.
He travelled a lot while he was in the Army. I’ll read while you watch television.
• We often use while + the past continuous, followed by a verb in the past simple.
While she was waiting, she had a cup of coffee.
• When while is used in a future sentence, it’s followed by a verb in the present, not wilt. I'll read a book while I’m waiting. I'll have a rest while the children are at school.
1 This is a report of a tennis match at Wimbledon. Look at the parts of sentences in the left-hand column and match them with their second part. Add for or during to the second part.
The match between Carter and Mendez was a real battle.
1 They were on the Centre Court
2 Carter looked much stronger than Mendez
3 But things started to change
4 Carter began to look tired and worried
5 After that, Mendez played brilliantly
6 But then Carter recovered
So Carter finally won the match 6-4, 6-3, 6-7, 0-6, 6-4.
a) ... the tie-break and he lost the set.
b) ... the final set, and won it.
c) ... four and a half hours.
d) ... the third set.
e) ... the first and second sets.
f) ... half an hour.
1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6...
2 Read the text. Some of the lines are correct, and in some there is a mistake. Put a tick (/) after the correct lines and, in the lines where there is a mistake, underline the mistake and write the correction in the brackets.
1 Sarah’s been a student at Exeter College during 18 months. Like a lot
2 of British students, Sarah works for the holidays to earn some extra money.
3 During the summer last year she worked as a receptionist at the White
4 Hart Hotel for ten weeks. And she worked in a wine bar during a month
5 during the winter. She sometimes works in the local newsagent’s
6 for a few hours during the week. But she’ll have to stop doing that
7 during her exams, which take place for the first two weeks of June.
(...)
(...)
(...) ...
3 Lauren and Emma are talking about the party they had last night. Complete the dialogue, using while and the verb in brackets.
Emma: it was a great party, but look at all this mess!
Lauren: I’II do the washing-up.
Emma: OK. I'II clean the floors (I do) ... you ... the washing-up.
Lauren: You know, Ben asked me if I wanted to go out with him.
Emma: When did he ask you that?
Lauren: (2 dance) ... together.
Emma: Did you say ’yes’?
Lauren: No. I can’t go out with Ben (3 go out) ... with Nigel, can I?
Emma: Why don’t you finish with Nigel?
Lauren: He’s got his exams at the moment. I can’t do that (4 do) ... his exams. It wouldn’t be fair.
Emma: What's he doing after his exams?
Lauren: He’s going to Barcelona for three weeks.
Emma: Well, you could see Ben (5 Nigel/be) ... in Spain. Perhaps Nigel will meet another girl (6 be) ... in Barcelona.
4 Read the text and answer the questions, using for, during or while.
Adam spent three weeks in Israel in the summer. He worked on a kibbutz. He picked oranges and packed them into boxes. He was picking oranges in the afternoon one day when he noticed a snake about three metres from him. He quickly climbed into a tree. He spent an hour there. He threw oranges at the snake to frighten it away. The manager came to see what was happening. He spent half an hour with Adam explaining to him which snakes were dangerous and which were harmless. As he talked, he picked up the snake and said that it was neither dangerous nor harmless. It was dead!
1 How long was Adam in Israel?
2 When was he there?
3 When did he notice the snake?
4 When was he picking oranges?
5 How long did he stay in the tree?
6 When did he throw oranges at the snake?
7 How long was the manager with Adam?
8 When did the manager pick up the snake?
5 Write ten sentences about yourself, using the time words for, during, while.
Examples: I've lived in Barcelona for ten years. During the summer I usually go to our villa in Sitges. While I'm there, I spend a lot of time water-skiing.
Check your answers with a teacher.