Painting for versus Painting during

[Elan]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #96 "prepositions of time: for, ago, since, on, at", question 4

The artist had been painting ......... two decades before he sold his first painting.

(a) during
(b) for
(c) since
(d) on

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #96 "prepositions of time: for, ago, since, on, at", answer 4

The artist had been painting for two decades before he sold his first painting.

Correct answer: (b) for

Your answer was: incorrect
The artist had been painting during two decades before he sold his first painting.
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Why not during?

Elan

[Alan]

Hi,

For is usually used to describe a complete period of time as in: for two years/for half an hour/for six weeks/ for two decades. During is used to describe at certain times within a period of time as in: during the day/during the year/during the week. In those examples it means at certain times within the day/the afternoon/ the week. You could say: It rained for a (whole) week without stopping. You could also say: It rained during the week, now and again within the week.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Phrasal Verbs/go