Life so far: experiences, achievements, and duration

Today we talk about life experience, achievement, and things that continue up to now.

⚡ Quick start

First: for or since?

Say only one word first. Then say why.

for 3 years
since Monday
for ages
since 2019
for two weeks
since I was 10
for a long time
since last summer

Why?

One more.

Point or period?

Now connect it to today:

for = a period of time
since = a starting point

So we use them to talk about life so far.

✏️ Build the form

We will build short answers first, then longer ones.

Look for the clue: experience, result, or duration.

Put the sentence together 🔄

Say the sentence aloud after you order it.

Put the question in the right order

How long
have you
been working
here

Put the sentence in the right order

She
has never
traveled abroad
before

Choose the best form 🎯

Read the clue. Choose the best form.

So far, I [___] three countries.
She [___] all morning, so she needs a break.
We [___] the project.
[___] abroad?
He hasn't called me [___] .
They are tired because they [___] all day.
I [___] a famous actor.
How long [___] for the exam?

She [___] from university.
We [___] for two hours, and the bus still hasn't come.
My brother [___] two medals this year.
I [___] her for years.
[___] your report yet?
He [___] around South America for six months, and he's still abroad.

She [___] on this essay [___] Monday morning, and she still isn't finished.
We have been friends [___] ages.
We've been in the meeting [___] 9:00.
I haven't sent the email [___] .
She [___] sushi, so she wants to taste it today.
Marta isn't here today. She [___] to a job interview.<<gone = she is still away>>

Be careful with stative verbs: we usually say I have known, not I have been knowing.

Build the whole sentence ✍️

Use the prompt. Say the full sentence.

Prompt: (I / finish / my homework)

I [___] [___] my homework.

Prompt: (she / graduate / this year)

She [___] [___] this year.

Prompt: (we / not visit / this museum / yet)

We [___] [___] this museum yet.

Prompt: (he / just win / an award)

He [___] [___] an award.

Prompt: (they / never travel abroad)

They [___] [___] abroad.

Prompt: (you / ever try / Turkish coffee / question)

[___] you [___] Turkish coffee?

Prompt: (I / know / her / for years)

I [___] [___] her for years.

Prompt: (she / work on this report / since Monday)

She [___] [___] on this report since Monday.

Prompt: (we / wait / for two hours)

We [___] [___] for two hours.

Prompt: (he / study / since 2019)

He [___] [___] since 2019.

Prompt: (I / read this book / all morning)

I [___] [___] this book all morning.

Prompt: (my sister / already pass / her driving test)

My sister [___] [___] her driving test.

Prompt: (we / be friends / for years)

We [___] [___] friends for years.

Prompt: (she / not finish / the email / yet)

She [___] [___] the email yet.

Prompt: (I / travel abroad / twice / so far)

So far, I [___] [___] abroad twice.

Prompt: (they / train / three times a week / since January)

They [___] [___] three times a week since January.

Prompt: (this / be / my biggest achievement / so far)

This [___] [___] my biggest achievement so far.

Prompt: (how long / you / learn English / question)

How long [___] you [___] English?

Prompt: (I / not see / that film / yet)

I [___] [___] that film yet.

Prompt: (she / just start / a new job)

She [___] [___] a new job.

Prompt: (we / build this app / for six months)

We [___] [___] this app for six months.

Prompt: (traveling alone / be / an important life experience / for me)

Traveling alone [___] [___] an important life experience for me.

Prompt: (I / already write / three pages / today)

I [___] [___] three pages today.

Prompt: (how long / she / work here / question)

How long [___] she [___] here?

Prompt: (they / not travel abroad / since 2020)

They [___] [___] abroad since 2020.

Prompt: (he / play video games / since breakfast)

He [___] [___] video games since breakfast.

Prompt: (you / ever meet / a famous writer / question)

[___] you [___] a famous writer?

Prompt: (she / work on her life story / all week)

She [___] [___] on her life story all week.

Prompt: (we / already choose / a date)

We [___] [___] a date.

Prompt: (I / wait for your answer / since 9:00)

I [___] [___] for your answer since 9:00.

📰 Read and notice

Read once. Then read again and underline have / has, been doing, for, since, already, and just.

Read for two ideas: What has each person done? and How long have they been doing it?

Five people who changed their lives after 40

More adults are making big changes later in life, and these five stories show that new beginnings do not stop at 40. Marta has started a small bakery at 47 after years in an office, and she has already sold cakes to local cafés. Ken has learned to swim at 52, and he has been training three times a week since January. Aisha has gone back to university at 44 and has just finished her first year of medical studies. Diego has become a tour guide after 40, and he has been leading city walks for six years. Lin has taken up painting at 50 and has already exhibited her work in two community shows. None of them has followed a perfect plan, but each person has made a brave change and has kept working at it.

Talk about the article 💬

Who has changed from office work to food business?
Who has been training since January?
Who has already shown work to the public?
What do all five people have in common?

Difficult words

bakery — a place where bread and cakes are made or sold
local cafés — coffee shops in the area
medical studies — university study to become a doctor
tour guide — a person who shows visitors around a place
city walks — guided walks around a city
exhibited — showed to the public
brave change — a change that needs courage

Check the details 🔎

Which person has just finished a year of study? Select all correct answers.

[+] Aisha has just finished her first year of medical studies.
[+] The correct person is Aisha, who has gone back to university at 44.
[-] Ken has just finished his first year of medical studies.
[-] Marta has just finished a year of study.

Who has been doing the same new job for six years? Select all correct answers.

[+] Diego has been leading city walks for six years.
[+] The correct person is Diego, who has become a tour guide after 40.
[-] Lin has been leading city walks for six years.
[-] Aisha has been doing the same new job for six years.

🖼️ Look and describe

Look carefully. Say what you can see. Then say one sentence about result and one sentence about duration.

What can you see?
What has this person achieved?
How long have they been studying?

What can you see?
What life experience might this person have had?
How long have they been traveling?
Have they ever traveled abroad before?

✅ Wrap-up

Today’s key points:

Present Perfect Simple = life experiences, achievements, and results up to now
- I have traveled abroad.
- She has graduated.
- We have already finished.
Present Perfect Continuous = duration and ongoing activity
- I have been studying for hours.
- He has been working since 2019.
for = period
- for years, for two weeks, for a long time
since = starting point
- since Monday, since 2019, since I was 10
How long ... ? asks about duration.
already, yet, just, ever, never add meaning:
- already = sooner than expected
- yet = until now / in questions and negatives
- just = a very short time ago
- ever = at any time in your life
- never = at no time in your life

For next time, write 6-8 sentences about your life so far:

one achievement
one life experience
one thing you have been doing recently
at least one for/since phrase
at least one How long ... ? question
at least two of these words: already, yet, just, ever, never