Adverbials of duration

Duration (periods of time) can be expressed by adverbs (e.g. ago all (day) long, (not) any more (not) any longer, no longer no more), and by prepositional phrases functioning as adverbials (beginning with e.g. by, during, for from to/till, since throughout).

7.31 'Since' and 'ago' [> 9.25.2, 9.29.1, 9.33.1,10.13.5, 9.18]

Since combines with points of time to answer the question Since

when⁹ it is often associated with the present perfect to mark the

beginning of a period lasting till now, or with the past perfect to mark

the beginning of a period lasting till then:

I haven't seen Tim since January/since last holidays

I met John last week I hadn't seen him since 1984

Since can be used as an adverb on its own:

/ saw your mother last January, but I haven't seen her since

Period of time + ago (answering How long ago? or When?) marks the start of a period going back from now:

/ started working at Lawson s seven months ago Note that since is placed before the point in time it refers to; ago is placed after the period it refers to.

7.32 'For' [> App 25.20]

For (+ period of time, answering How long?) marks the duration of a

period of time in the past or in the future, or up to the present: The Kenways lived here for five years (They no longer live here.) The Kenways have lived here for five years (They are still here.)

For combines with e.g. ages, hours days, weeks, months, years, etc.

to emphasize or exaggerate duration: / haven't seen Patricia for months How is she?

In affirmative sentences with a 'continuity verb' like be live, work

[> 9.33.1] for is often omitted when the verb is present perfect or past:

Patricia has been (or has lived, has worked) here (for) a year Sometimes for can be omitted in future reference:

/'// be (or stay, work) in New York (for) six months For cannot be omitted in negative sentences or when it comes at the beginning of a sentence or clause:

/ haven't seen him for six years. For six years, he lived abroad

7.33 'From...to/till/until'

From to/till/until refer to a defined period:

The tourist season runs from June to/till October

7 Adverbs

From can be omitted informally with till but not usually with to I"m at my office (from) nine till five (from nine to five) We worked on the project (from) March till June

7.34 By', 'till/until' and not...till/until'

Till (or until) and by mean any time before and not later than When we use continuity verbs [> 9.33.1] which indicate a period of time (e g stay wait) we can only use till/until (Not *by*)

I'II stay here till/until Monday

I won't stay here till/until Monday

Will you stay here till/until Monday?

When we use verbs which indicate a point of time (e g finish leave)

we can only use till/until in the negative

/ won't leave till/until Monday (= on Monday not before)

We can only use by with point of time verbs so we can say /'// have left by Monday (= any time before and not later than) / won't have left by Monday (= III still be here on Monday)

7.35 'During', 'in' and 'throughout'

During always followed by a noun can refer to a whole period

It was very hot during the summer or to points during the course of a period

He s phoned four times during the last half hour In (= within a period) can replace during in the above examples Vagueness can be emphasized by the use of some time + during

I posted it some time during (Not *in*) the week During cannot be replaced by in when we refer to an event or activity rather than to a period of time

/ didn’t learn much during my teacher-training

Throughout can replace in or during if we wish to emphasize 'from the beginning to the end of a whole period

There were thunderstorms throughout July During or throughout (Not *in*) can combine with e g the whole the entire to emphasize that something happened over a period

During the whole/the entire winter she never saw a soul

7.36 All (day) long', '(not) any more'

All long emphasizes duration and is commonly used with words like day and night Long gives extra emphasis and is optional It rained all night (long)

Not any more not any longer and no longer are used to show that an action with duration has stopped or must stop They come at the end of a sentence or clause

Hurry up I can't wait any longer/any more No longer can come before a full verb or at the end of a sentence though the end position is sometimes slightly more formal

/' m sorry Professor Carrington no longer lives here

Adverbs of frequency