For vs During - Easy Exercises

For and during both connect an action to time, but they answer different questions. Use for with a length of time. It answers "how long?": "We waited for two hours." Use during with a named event, activity, or period. It answers "when?": "We spoke during the meeting." The word after the gap is the strongest clue. Learners often make mistakes when one first-language preposition covers both meanings.

A number, amount, or duration usually needs for: for ten minutes, for three weeks, for a long time. A noun naming an event or period usually needs during: during lunch, during the film, during the summer. Do not use during to say the length of time. "I slept during eight hours" is wrong; say "I slept for eight hours." In contrast, "I slept during the flight" is correct because the flight is the event when the sleeping happened. This contrast is useful in everyday stories.