How long...?/ Since when...?: tenses.

But, there are also difficult questions to ask!

Here, we are going to make that clearer! They are questions about Time and duration. These questions are often quite problematic to you. 

1) HOW LONG...?

How long did you stay?/ How long are you staying?/ How long will you be staying? 

You must always consider whether the action is happening in the past, if it is still taking place or if it will take place in the future. 

The Time considered is a duration. Now, you have to find whether the action is done, or not! 

- How long did you stay...? / How long are you staying...? / How long will you remain absent? 

2) HOW LONG...?

- How long have you lived here?   Be careful! The simple present is used in French, but NEVER in English. This tense means that the person who arrived in the past is still living there in the present. 

We need a PRESENT PERFECT: How long have you lived here? 

- How long have you been living abroad? The French are using a present simple. How long have you been living abroad? In English, a present simple is NEVER used there. You are living abroad just now,  and have been for some 

time in the past, too => PRESENT PERFECT which insists on the duration (in -ing). 
- How long have you been living abroad? 

- How long had you been living there? is in the 'Imparfait' (past simple) in French. 

The sentence means that you used to live abroad, but no longer do. You came back to France. In English, use a PAST PERFECT. (The action happened before the simple past.) 

How long had you been living abroad when you moved back to France? 

3) SINCE WHEN...? 

This question applying to the point of departure of an action is much less used than 'How long...?' (which asks a question not on the beginning of the action, but on the duration of the action.) 

- Since when has he had a dog? Since last Xmas, he got it for his birthday. 

Yet, there is an idiomatic question: SINCE WHEN? which expresses surprise, disapproval or incredulity.

- Since when have you been interested in botany?

- Since when do I need your permission?

- Since when do you have the right to give me orders?

There we are! Keeping in mind that what matters is the moment when a past action took place and whether it deals with a duration, or with the beginning of  the action! [Hmmm! Two different points at a time! ] then, the problem is simple!

Concentrate well and 'good luck'! Go for the test!  

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1. 'Since when have you been the boss here?' ' 'For two weeks, at least... I want to visit all the interesting sites.''Four months! From Xmas to Easter!''In the late 1960s in the USA.''Much too long! I hate their food and miss Mum's.''Our silver wedding is in six months!''Since I've been your father, young lady!''Since he held his first mini racket!''Since we were kids. I'm so sad she died!'For ten years. He left Sidney at the very beginning of the pandemic.'Since you showed you were incompetent!' I don't know



2. 'How long did he live in Australia?' ' 'For two weeks, at least... I want to visit all the interesting sites.''Four months! From Xmas to Easter!''In the late 1960s in the USA.''Much too long! I hate their food and miss Mum's.''Our silver wedding is in six months!''Since I've been your father, young lady!''Since he held his first mini racket!''Since we were kids. I'm so sad she died!'For ten years. He left Sidney at the very beginning of the pandemic.'Since you showed you were incompetent!' I don't know



3. 'Since when has he been interested in tennis and tennis players?' ' 'For two weeks, at least... I want to visit all the interesting sites.''Four months! From Xmas to Easter!''In the late 1960s in the USA.''Much too long! I hate their food and miss Mum's.''Our silver wedding is in six months!''Since I've been your father, young lady!''Since he held his first mini racket!''Since we were kids. I'm so sad she died!'For ten years. He left Sidney at the very beginning of the pandemic.'Since you showed you were incompetent!' I don't know



4. 'How long are you staying in New York?' ' 'For two weeks, at least... I want to visit all the interesting sites.''Four months! From Xmas to Easter!''In the late 1960s in the USA.''Much too long! I hate their food and miss Mum's.''Our silver wedding is in six months!''Since I've been your father, young lady!''Since he held his first mini racket!''Since we were kids. I'm so sad she died!'For ten years. He left Sidney at the very beginning of the pandemic.'Since you showed you were incompetent!' I don't know



5. 'How long had you known her?' ''For two weeks, at least... I want to visit all the interesting sites.''Four months! From Xmas to Easter!''In the late 1960s in the USA.''Much too long! I hate their food and miss Mum's.''Our silver wedding is in six months!''Since I've been your father, young lady!''Since he held his first mini racket!''Since we were kids. I'm so sad she died!'For ten years. He left Sidney at the very beginning of the pandemic.'Since you showed you were incompetent!' I don't know



6. 'Since when do I need your permission to go out?' ''For two weeks, at least... I want to visit all the interesting sites.''Four months! From Xmas to Easter!''In the late 1960s in the USA.''Much too long! I hate their food and miss Mum's.''Our silver wedding is in six months!''Since I've been your father, young lady!''Since he held his first mini racket!''Since we were kids. I'm so sad she died!'For ten years. He left Sidney at the very beginning of the pandemic.'Since you showed you were incompetent!' I don't know



7. 'How long have you been in hospital, now?' 'For two weeks, at least... I want to visit all the interesting sites.''Four months! From Xmas to Easter!''In the late 1960s in the USA.''Much too long! I hate their food and miss Mum's.''Our silver wedding is in six months!''Since I've been your father, young lady!''Since he held his first mini racket!''Since we were kids. I'm so sad she died!'For ten years. He left Sidney at the very beginning of the pandemic.'Since you showed you were incompetent!' I don't know



8. 'How long have you been married?' ''For two weeks, at least... I want to visit all the interesting sites.''Four months! From Xmas to Easter!''In the late 1960s in the USA.''Much too long! I hate their food and miss Mum's.''Our silver wedding is in six months!''Since I've been your father, young lady!''Since he held his first mini racket!''Since we were kids. I'm so sad she died!'For ten years. He left Sidney at the very beginning of the pandemic.'Since you showed you were incompetent!' I don't know



9. 'How long did you spend in the USA last year?' ' 'For two weeks, at least... I want to visit all the interesting sites.''Four months! From Xmas to Easter!''In the late 1960s in the USA.''Much too long! I hate their food and miss Mum's.''Our silver wedding is in six months!''Since I've been your father, young lady!''Since he held his first mini racket!''Since we were kids. I'm so sad she died!'For ten years. He left Sidney at the very beginning of the pandemic.'Since you showed you were incompetent!' I don't know



10. 'Since when did the Internet begin?' ' 'For two weeks, at least... I want to visit all the interesting sites.''Four months! From Xmas to Easter!''In the late 1960s in the USA.''Much too long! I hate their food and miss Mum's.''Our silver wedding is in six months!''Since I've been your father, young lady!''Since he held his first mini racket!''Since we were kids. I'm so sad she died!'For ten years. He left Sidney at the very beginning of the pandemic.'Since you showed you were incompetent!' I don't know