Prepositions - from … to / until / since / for

Question 1

• from … to …

* You can also say from … until … :

Answer 1

…We lived in Japan from 2003 to 2010.
…I work from Monday to Friday.

…We lived in Japan from 2003 until 2010

Question 2

Friday
December
* Until 3 o’clock
I come back

• You can also say till (= until)

Answer 2

…They’re going away tomorrow. They’ll be away until Friday.
…I went to bed early, but I wasn’t tired. I read a book until 3 o’clock.
…Wait here until I come back.

…Wait here till I come back.

# Compare:
‘How long will you be away?’  →  ‘Until Monday.’
‘When are you coming back?’ →  ‘On Monday.

Question 3

• since + a time in the past ( to now)
  → We use since after the present perfect (have been / have done etc.)

         Monday
         1998 since    2:30
         I arrived

• We use for (NOT since) + a period of time (three days / ten years etc.)

Answer 3

…Joe is in hospital. He has been in hospital since Monday. (= from Monday to now)
…Sue and Dave have been married since 1998. (= from 1998 to now)
…It has been raining since I arrived

Compare:
…We lived in Japan from 2003 to 2010.
…We lived in Japan until 2010. Now we live in Canada. …We came to Canada in 2010. We have lived in Canada since 2010. (= from 2010 until now)

…Joe has been in hospital for three days. (not since three days)

Question 4

for + a period of time

     three days
     ten years for    five minutes
     a long time

Answer 4

…Gary stayed with us for three days.
…I’m going away for a few weeks.
…I’m going away for the weekend.
…They’ve been married for ten years