What do for, since and ago mean?
All three words talk about time. Look at this sentence from the news story about the Cargolux landing gear collapse: The plane has not flown since Friday. The writer says when the break started. Since goes with a point in time.
- since + a point in time (since Friday, since 2020, since 8 o’clock). Use it with the present perfect: have / has + past participle.
- for + a length of time (for two days, for six years). Use it with the present perfect too: I have worked here for six years.
- ago goes after a length of time and counts back from now (three days ago). Use it with the past simple, not the present perfect: The accident happened a week ago.
Watch out for these mistakes
- ✗ The plane has not flown for Friday. → ✓ The plane has not flown since Friday. (Friday is a point in time.)
- ✗ I have worked here since six years. → ✓ I have worked here for six years. (Six years is a length of time.)
- ✗ The gear has collapsed a week ago. → ✓ The gear collapsed a week ago. (Ago needs the past simple.)
Read and check
Read these two sentences from the news story.
The plane has not flown since Friday. About three and a half years ago, in May 2023, a different Cargolux 747 lost part of its landing gear when it landed.
Now answer the questions. Click an answer to see if it is right.
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The plane has not flown ____ Friday.
Friday is a point in time, so we use since with the present perfect (has not flown).
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Which sentence is correct?
Ago counts back from now and goes with the past simple: lost … three years ago.
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True or false: “The plane has not flown since two days” is correct.
Two days is a length of time. We say for two days, or since Friday (a point in time).
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I have worked at this airport ____ five years.
Five years is a length of time, so use for. Since needs a point in time, like 2021.
For + a length of time: for five years.
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The cargo plane landed an hour ____.
An hour counts back from now, and landed is past simple, so the word is ago.
A length of time + ago, with the past simple: landed an hour ago.
Now make it real
Write one or two true sentences about your work or your flying. Use for, since or ago. Try this frame: I have worked here for … / I have flown since … / I started this job … ago.
Check your sentences before you look at the samples:
- Is your sentence true? Does it say what you really mean?
- Did you use for with a length of time and since with a point in time?
- If you used ago, is your verb in the past simple?
- Does it start with a capital letter and end with a full stop?
Here are three samples to compare with your own:
- I have worked at this airport for four years.
- I have flown cargo planes since 2019.
- I started this job six months ago.
Now read your sentences again. Can you make one of them longer or clearer?
CEFR Level A2 / ICAO Level 3
Want more easy reading with for, since and ago? Browse our CEFR A2 archive: many news stories there use them.
