Key Difference

• “During” refers to something happening at some point within a specific period or event.
• “For” indicates the duration of time—how long something lasts.

1. Using “During”

“During” is used to express that something happens within a certain period or event. It does not specify how long the action takes; it simply tells us that the action occurs at some point within that time.

Examples:

• “I read a book during the flight.” 📖 (This tells us the reading happened at some time while on the flight.)
• “He felt sick during the meeting.” (The illness occurred at some point in the meeting.)

Important Points about “During”:

• Often used with specific events or periods, such as “during the summer,” “during the war,” or “during the night.”
• Doesn’t give an exact length of time—it just tells us when an action happened.

1. Using “For”

“For” is used to describe the length of time something continues. It tells us the duration of the activity or event.

Examples:

• “She studied English for two hours.” ⏳ (Here, we know exactly how long she studied.)
• “They lived in Italy for three years.” (The duration of their stay in Italy is three years.)

Important Points about “For”:

• It’s used with phrases like “two hours,” “several weeks,” “a year,” etc., indicating how long an action or state lasts.
• It answers the question, “How long?”

Analogy to Help You Remember

Think of “during” as pointing to when something happens in a period, while “for” answers how long it happens. Imagine a movie 🎬:

• If you talk about what happens “during the movie,” you’re mentioning something that happened at some point within the movie.
• If you say you watched it for two hours, you’re focusing on the exact length of time you spent watching it.

Examples Compared

Common Mistakes and Tips

1. Don’t use “for” with specific events (like “the meeting” or “the holiday”)—use “during” instead.
   • ❌ Incorrect: “I was nervous for the exam.”
   • ✅ Correct: “I was nervous during the exam.”
2. Don’t use “during” to show the exact duration. Use “for” to give the precise length of time.
   • ❌ Incorrect: “I stayed in Japan during two weeks.”
   • ✅ Correct: “I stayed in Japan for two weeks.”

Practice Time!

Fill in the blanks with “during” or “for”:

1. “I went skiing ____ the winter holiday.”
2. “We waited ____ 30 minutes for the bus.”
3. “She lost her wallet ____ the concert.”
4. “They exercised ____ an hour every morning.”
5. “I felt sleepy ____ the lecture.”

Answers:

1. “I went skiing during the winter holiday.”
2. “We waited for 30 minutes for the bus.”
3. “She lost her wallet during the concert.”
4. “They exercised for an hour every morning.”
5. “I felt sleepy during the lecture.”

Learning Tip 🌟

Remember: Use “for” with durations (like hours or weeks) and “during” for periods or events (like the holidays or the meeting).