UNIT 119. For, during and while ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE FOR INTERMEDIATE

ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE FOR INTERMEDIATE

UNIT 119. For, during and while

A	For and during We use for+ a period of time to say how long something goes on: for two hours for a week for ages √ We watched TV for two hours last night. Jess is going away for a week in September. Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for ages. Are you going away for the weekend? √ √ √ We use during+ noun to say when something happens (not how long): during the movie during our holiday during the night √ I fell asleep during the movie. We met some really nice people during our holiday. The ground is wet. lt must have rained during the night. √ √ With 'time words, (for example: the morning /the afternoon /the summer), you can usually say in or during: √ It must have rained in the night.          or ... during the night. I’ll phone you sometime during the afternoon.        or ... in the afternoon. √ You cannot use during to say how long something goes on: √ It rained for three days without stopping. (not during three days) Compare during and for: √ I fell asleep during the movie. I was asleep for half an hour.
B	During and while Compare: We use during+ noun: √ √ We met a lot of interesting people during our holiday. √ Robert suddenly began to feel ill during the exam. We use while+ subject+ verb: √ √ We met a lot of interesting people while we were on holiday. √ Robert suddenly began to feel ill while he was doing the exam. Some more examples of while: √ We saw Clare while we were waiting for the bus. While you were out, there was a phone call for you. Alex read a book while I watched TV. √ √ When you are talking about the future, use the present (not will) after while: √ I’m going to Singapore next week. I hope to see some friends of mine while I'm there.(not while I will be there) √ What are you going to do while you're waiting? (not while you’ll be waiting)

EXERCISES

119.1	Put in for or during. 1 It rained ____for ____ three days without stopping. I fell asleep ____ during ____the movie. 2 3 I went to the theatre last night. I met Sue _____________ the interval. Martin hasn’t lived in Britain all his life. He lived in Brazil _____________ four years. Production at the factory was seriously affected _____________.the strike. I felt really ill last week. I could hardly eat anything _____________ three days. 4 5 6 7 I waited for you _____________ half an hour and decided that you weren’t coming. Sarah was very angry with me. She didn’t speak to me _____________ a week. We usually go out at weekends I but we don’t go out _____________ the week very often. Jack started a new job a few weeks ago. Before that he was out of work _____________ six months. 8 9 10 11 I need a break. I think I’ll go away __________ a few days. The president gave a long speech. She spoke __________  two hours. We were hungry when we arrived. We hadn’t had anything to eat __________ the journey. We were hungry when we arrived. We hadn’t had anything to eat __________ eight hours. 12 13 14
119.2	Put in during or while. 1 We met a lot of interesting people ____ while _____ we were on holiday. We met a lot of interesting people _____ during _______ our holiday. 2 3 I met Mike _________________ I was shopping. _________________ I was on holiday~ I didn’t read any newspapers or watch TV. _________________ our stay in Paris I we went to a lot of museums and galleries. My phone rang _________________ we were having dinner. There was a lot of noise _________________ the night. What was it? 4 5 6 7 8 I’d been away for many years. _________________ that time I many things had changed. What did they say about me _________________ I was out of the room? I went out for dinner last night. Unfortunately I began to feel ill _________________ the meal and had to go home. 9 10 11 Please don’t interrupt me _________________ I’m speaking. There were many interruptions _________________ the president’s speech. Can you hold my bag _________________  I try on this jacket? We were hungry when we arrived. We hadn’t had anything to eat _________________ we were travelling. 12 13 14
119.3	Use your own ideas to complete these sentences. 1 I fell asleep while _______ I was watching TV. ___________ 2 I fell asleep during _____ the movie .__________________ 3 Nobody came to see me while ___________________ Can you wait for me while ___________________ Most of the students looked bored during ___________________ I was asked a lot of questions during ___________________ Don’t open the car door while ___________________ The lights suddenly went out while ___________________ It started to rain during ___________________ It started to rain while ___________________ What are you going to do while . 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

ANSWER KEY