Present Perfect For and Since Activities, Worksheets, Lesson Plans

Are you teaching the present perfect for and since and need a few activities, games, worksheets, or even an entire lesson plan? Look no further than right here and keep on reading for all the tips, tricks and ideas you need!

For or Since ESL Games and Activities

Without further ado, here are our top picks for since/for activities and games for ESL. Check them out here.

#1: Running Dictation

This is a classic, 4-skills ESL game that your students will love. Find a dialogue that has since/for in it, in your textbook, or online, or you can make your own. Then, print it out and cut out each phrase in it individually. Post them around the classroom on the wall.

Put students into pairs, and one is the writer while the other is the reader. The reader has to go around and look at the papers, then memorize them, and come back and tell their partner who writes them. In the end, they have to put the sentences in the correct order.

If you haven’t tried out running dictation, today is the day! It’s seriously so fun. Learn more about it here:

Running Dictation ESL Activity.

#2 For/Since ESL Activity: Do You Like to _____?

Check out this fun, interactive activity that you can use to help your students get some practice using the present perfect since and for. The way it works is that students have to write three true statements about themselves on strips of paper. In this case, they’d use since/for. Here are some of my examples:

• I’ve been paddleboarding for five years.
• I’ve liked eating cilantro for 10 years.

Then, you collect the papers, mix them and randomly distribute them to other students. They have to stand up, and talk to their classmates to find the matching person by asking questions in English. For example:

• Have you been paddleboarding for five years?
• Have you played tennis since 2015?

It’s a really nice way for students to get a ton of practice with for and since. You can learn more about this activity here:

English Conversation Activity.

#3: Disappearing Text

If you are teaching beginners about the present perfect and for or since, then you may want to consider using this quick review activity at the end of class. The way it works is that you write a sentence on the board and students have to say it out loud. Erase some words and students have to say the entire sentence. Eventually, there’s nothing left.

It’s an excellent way for students to remember some key phrases related to this grammar point. Find out more about it:

Disappearing Text ESL Grammar Review.

#4: Error Correction Game

#5: Board Games

I love to play board games in real life, which is why I like to bring them into my classroom too. They’re an ideal way to review a ton of different vocabulary and grammar points, including since/for. The way it works is that you make your game with lots of questions that require since/for answers. For example:

• How long have you been attending this school?
• How long have you been studying English?
• How long have you known your teacher?

Do you want to find out more about how to make your own games for your students? Then you’ll want to check this out:

ESL Board Games.

#6 Present Perfect Game: Hot Potato Speaking Activity

Did you ever play the hot potato game when you were a kid? The way it works is that you have to pass around an object of some time for a random amount of time. When the time stops, if you’re holding the potato, you have to do something. In this case, the student will have to make a sentence.

The way I usually do it with for/since is to show that student a flashcard. For example, someone playing soccer and then they’d have to make a sentence with that vocabulary item and for/since. Some examples:

• He’s been playing soccer since he was 7.
• I’ve been playing soccer for 5 years.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be a true statement about that student because they can use he/she/they, etc. Find out more about this fun ESL game here:

ESL Hot Potato.

#7: Find Someone Who Bingo Game

I generally use this activity as a kind of warmer on the first day of class. However, it lends itself very well to for or since grammar as well. The way it works is that you can think of some questions such as the following. Find someone who…

• has been studying English for more than 5 years.
• has been doing one of their hobbies for more than 10 years.
• hasn’t been a dad.
• has been a mom since 2012.

Then, students have to go around the classroom, talking to other students and filling up their board. You can find out more about it here:

Find Someone Who Bingo ESL.

#8: Dialogue Substitution for Present Perfect Since and For 

A common way to introduce since/for is through a dialogue of some kind. But, have you ever noticed that students often mindlessly read through it and don’t really pay attention to what they’re reading? Yes? It’s normal.

A way to combat this and pump up the difficulty is to remove some words. In this case, you could try removing the for/since words, or the information that comes after it like 7 years old, 2015, 5 years, etc. Find out more about this challenging activity here:

ESL Dialogue Substitution.

#9: For/Since Survey

Surveys are one of the most versatile and useful ESL activities you can do! You can set this one up as a simple past and then present perfect follow-up question which requires a for/since answer.

For example:

• Do you like to play soccer? Yes, I do.
• How long have you been playing for? I’ve been playing since 2014.

If you want to learn more about how to set up surveys and use them in your classes, you’ll want to check this out:

ESL Surveys.

#10 Present Perfect for and Since Activity: Role Plays

A role play is ideal for lower-level students who want to get some practice with speaking but may not be at the point where they can do “free-talking.” The way it works is that you give them a conversation starter with some blanks. In this case, you’d want to use something like the following telephone conversation:

A. Hey _____, what are you doing now?

B. Oh, I’m ____________.

A. Wow! How long have you been ____________?

B. I’ve been ____________ for/since ___________.

A.

Then students can continue on with the conversation as they’d like. At the end, they can perform the dialogue for you, or in front of the class. You can check it out here:

Role Plays for ESL Students.

#11: Is that Sentence Correct? English Grammar Activity

I love to use this quick warmer activity in the following class after teaching since/for. I write a few sentences using since and for. Some are correct, but some are not. Students have to figure out the incorrect ones and then change them to make them correct. It’s simple, quick and quite effective for helping students remember the rules and for that they may have forgotten since the previous class.

#12: Telephone Speaking and Listening Activity

A fun present perfect for and since game is telephone. I’m sure you played it as a kid. The way it works is that each team has to pass along a message down the line. Then at the end, the last person compares what they have with the original.

In this case, you’d want to include since/for in the sentence or sentences that you choose. Learn more about it here: Telephone ESL Activity.

#13: Flashcards Present Perfect Game 

A simple way to get students practicing the present perfect for/since is to use some flashcards. Show them a picture of common things that the vast majority of them have done. Then, they have to make a sentence. This is the simplest way to use flashcards in TEFL classes, but there are plenty of other variations.

Here are just a few examples:

• school (I’ve been going to school since I was 5 years old)
• read (I’ve been reading for 5 years)
• swim (I’ve been able to swim since I was 7 years old)
• Etc.

#14: Present Perfect Since For Picture Prompt 

It’s often the case that students have studied what you’re teaching them before unless they are absolute beginners. If this is true, consider using this simple warm-up activity.

In this case, find a picture with lots of things going on. Then ask students, “What are the people doing?” They’ll say things like playing soccer, making dinner, etc. depending on the picture that you chose.

Then, lead the conversation into students’ own lives and use for/since. For example:

Do any of you play soccer? Me! I do!

How long have you been playing? I’ve been playing for 10 years.

Who likes cooking? Me!

How long have you been doing it? Since I was 12 years old I could make simple things.

#15: What is the Present Perfect?

Need some help explaining the present perfect tense to your students? Check out this simple video for teaching the present perfect since for:

#16: Speaking Lesson Plan with Present Perfect For and Since

When I first started teaching, I was really intimated by creating my own lessons. I’d just follow what was in the textbook page for page. But, I got more confidence as time went on and started creating my own lessons. It has the major advantage of being tailored to the exact needs of the students.

It’s easy to create an engaging speaking lesson plan with this grammar point. Learn how to do it: ESL Speaking Lesson Plan Template.

#17: Sentence Building with Since and For 

Time spent on building sentences with English learners is never wasted time and this of course applies to sentences with since and for as well. Here are some of the top ideas for this:

ESL Sentence Building Activities.

#18: ESL Speaking Lesson (For/Since)

It’s easier than you might think to plan your own lesson for just about anything, including this topic. Have a look here for the simple steps that you can follow:

#19: Drilling Exercises

The present perfect form can be a bit tricky for students to remember. That’s where something like drills can be quite useful. There are lots of games and exercises you can do to help students out. Have a look at some of my ideas:

Drilling exercises.

#20: New Sentences With For/Since

A nice way to make sure students really understand the concept of present perfect for since is to have them make the “opposite” sentence. For example:

• I’ve played soccer since I was 10. (students can write: I’ve played soccer for 13 years).
• I’ve been taking English classes for 12 years. (students can write: I’ve been taking English classes since 2011).

#21: Puzzle Finder For and Since 

This is a nice activity for beginners. On puzzle pieces, write down some for/since clauses (for 10 years, since 2020, for an hour, etc.), along with some sentence starters (I’ve been playing soccer, I’ve been studying English, I’ve had Jackie as a teacher). Make sure that each starter has at least a couple of clauses that’ll match.

Then, give each student a few puzzle pieces and they have to circulate around the classroom, trying to find their match.

Did you find these For and Since Grammar Activities Useful?

Yes? Thought so! Then the book you’re going to love is this one available on Amazon: 39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Grammar Activities and Games. The key to interesting, engaging English lessons is a variety of fun activities and this book will help you do that in style.

You can get the book in both digital and print formats. Keep a copy on the bookshelf in your office and use it as a handy reference guide. Or, take the digital version with you to your favourite coffee shop on your phone or tablet for lesson planning on the go. It’s very easy to do with the free Kindle reading app.

Do you want to find out more? Then you’ll need to check out the book for yourself over on Amazon, but only if you want a serious dose of ESL teaching awesome in your life:

What about Present Perfect For and Since Worksheets?

If you’re on the search for some since/for worksheets to give your students some extra practice with this, then you’ll need to check out the following resources:

ISL Collective

Agenda Web

Online Practice With For Since Present Perfect

Or, if you prefer online practice with since and for, then here are some of the best sites to recommend to your students:

ESL Games Plus

ESL Games World

Lesson Plans for the Present Perfect For Since

Better yet, maybe you want to find some complete lesson plans for this important grammar point. Then you’re certainly in the right place. Here are our favourite for/since lesson plans that you can just print and use:

TEFL Handbook

Your English Source

Present Perfect Since For Examples

Here are some sentences that use this English grammar:

• She’s lived in that house since she was 12.
• I’ve taught in this school for 10 years now.
• They’ve been married for 50 years.
• We’ve been here since last Tuesday.

Have your Say about these Present Perfect For and Since Games and Activities

What do you think about these since and for games and activities? Have you tried out any of them from the list, or do you have another one that you’d like to recommend? Leave a comment below and let us know. We’d love to hear from you.

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p.s. If you want to learn more about teaching grammar, you’ll need to check this out: How to Teach English Grammar.

 

Last update on 2025-06-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API