Master “Since” and “For”: Grade 5 Grammar Worksheet 

Students often confuse “since” and “for” because both relate to time, but they serve different functions. This Grade 5 worksheet is carefully structured to eliminate that confusion through step-by-step practice. As seen in the worksheet  students begin with identifying correct usage, then move to spotting errors, and finally apply the concepts in full sentences and a real-life passage. This progression is not accidental—it mirrors how children actually learn grammar: recognition → correction → application.

In this worksheet, students will focus on the correct use of “since” and “for,” with activities such as: 
✔️ Multiple choice questions to select sentences with correct usage. 
✔️ True/False statements to test understanding of correct and incorrect usage. 
✔️ Fill-in-the-blank exercises to apply “since” and “for” correctly. 
✔️ Sentence rewriting to fix common errors. 
✔️ Paragraph completion to practice usage in real-life context. 

 

What Is the Core Concept? 

The distinction is simple in theory but tricky in practice: 
• “For” is used for duration (how long) 
• “Since” is used for starting point (when it began) 

Where students struggle is not the rule—it’s identifying whether a phrase represents duration or a fixed starting point. That’s exactly what this worksheet trains.

Examples from the worksheet (page 3–4): 
• Riya has been reading for two hours. 
• Ravi has lived here since 2015. 
• Asha has been waiting since morning. 

Notice the pattern: 
“Two hours” = duration → for 
“2015” / “morning” = starting point → since 

 

Why This Worksheet Works 

The design isn’t random. It follows a cognitive progression: 
1. MCQs → pattern recognition 
2. True/False → error detection 
3. Fill in blanks → rule application 
4. Rewriting → correction skills 
5. Passage → real-life usage 

By the time students reach the passage (page 9), they’re no longer guessing—they’re applying.

Important Insight (Often Missed) 

Students don’t just confuse “since” and “for”—they confuse time types: 
• “two hours” vs “2015” 
• “Monday” vs “three days” 

So the real skill being tested is time classification, not just grammar.

Quick Learning Rules 

Use “for” with: 
• two hours 
• three days 
• a week 
• an hour 

Use “since” with: 
• 2015 
• Monday 
• morning 
• childhood 

If you can answer “how long?” → use for 
If you can answer “since when?” → use since 

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🔹 Answer Key (for parents and educators) 

Exercise 1 – Choose the Correct Sentence: 
1. b) Riya has been reading for two hours. 
2. a) Ravi has lived here since 2015. 
3. b) Asha has been waiting since morning. 
4. b) Meera has studied for three hours. 
5. a) Mohan has been playing since Monday. 
6. a) Naaz has been sick for two days. 
7. a) Rahul has worked here since 2020. 
8. b) Mehak has been dancing for an hour. 
9. b) Ram has known him since childhood. 
10. b) Aditi has been practicing since evening. 

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Exercise 2 – True or False: 
1. True 
2. False 
3. False 
4. False 
5. True 
6. False 
7. True 
8. False 
9. True 
10. False 

(Note: This aligns with the actual worksheet statements on page 5, where items like “since an hour” and “for evening” are intentionally incorrect.) 

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Exercise 3 – Fill in the Blanks: 
1. for 
2. since 
3. since 
4. for 
5. since 
6. for 
7. since 
8. for 
9. since 
10. since 

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Exercise 4 – Sentence Rewriting: 
1. Riya has been reading for two hours. 
2. Shaz has lived here since 2015. 
3. Pankaj has been waiting since morning. 
4. Meera has studied for three hours. 
5. Roma has been playing since Monday. 
6. Palak has been sick for two days. 
7. Monika has worked here since 2020. 
8. Mehak has been dancing for an hour. 
9. Meena has known him since childhood. 
10. Malik has been practicing since evening. 

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Exercise 5 – Complete the Passage: 
1. for 
2. since 
3. since 
4. for 
5. since 
6. for 
7. since 
8. for 
9. since 
10. since 

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Final Thought 

If a student still mixes “since” and “for” after this, the issue isn’t grammar—it’s conceptual clarity about time expressions. Fix that, and the rule becomes almost automatic.

Help your child clearly express time and duration with confidence using “since” and “for.” 
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