During, While or For?

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During, While or For?

By the end: I can distinguish an event, an overlapping action and a duration.

Created by , British English teacher.

I’m studying:

Try the activities, then check your answers.

Choose a short recording.

During an event

During normally takes a noun phrase naming the event or period. It does not state the event’s duration by itself.

I took notes during the meeting.

The café was busy during lunch.

A woman takes notes during a meeting as Denis presents a plan.
I took notes during the meeting.The meeting gives the named event after during.

While an action happens

While can introduce a clause with its own subject and verb. The actions overlap.

I took notes while she was speaking.

Please wait while I check.

A woman takes notes while another woman explains a diagram.
I took notes while she was speaking.Note-taking and speaking happen at the same time, illustrating while.

For a duration

For introduces how much time an activity or state lasts.

We talked for twenty minutes.

I stayed there for a week.

Guided practice

Say or write your answer first. Compare form and meaning with the model.

1. Complete: I slept ___ the journey.

Compare a model and explanation

during

The journey is a noun phrase.

2. Complete: I slept ___ we were travelling.

Compare a model and explanation

while

A subject and verb follow.

3. Complete: I slept ___ two hours.

Compare a model and explanation

for

Two hours is a duration.

4. Correct: During I was waiting, I read.

Compare a model and explanation

While I was waiting, I read.

During does not take this finite clause.

5. Correct: We talked during three hours. You mean duration.

Compare a model and explanation

We talked for three hours.

For states how long.

6. Rewrite while we were in the meeting using during.

Compare a model and explanation

during the meeting

Change the clause to a noun phrase.

7. Does during the film tell us the action lasted for the entire film?

Compare a model and explanation

Not necessarily.

It locates the action within the film period.

8. Describe an event, an overlap and a duration in three sentences.

Compare a model and explanation

I called during lunch. I walked while we talked. We spoke for ten minutes.

Choose by structure and meaning.

A short conversation

Listen first, then open the transcript when useful.

Open the conversation transcript

A: Did you finish the email during the meeting?

B: No. I wrote it while I was waiting for the train.

A: How long did you wait?

B: For about fifteen minutes.

Listening checks

Listen to each extract or open its transcript. These three questions have a separate score.

1. How long did the reading last?
Read the listening transcript

I read during the journey, but only for ten minutes.

2. How are the actions related?
Read the listening transcript

I washed the dishes while Sam cooked.

3. What does during the festival identify?
Read the listening transcript

We stayed at the café for an hour during the festival.

Mastery quiz

Choose the best answer for each situation. The score is out of eight.

1. Complete: She called ___ the concert.
2. Complete: She called ___ I was cooking.
3. Complete: We waited ___ forty minutes.
4. Choose the correct clause pattern.
5. Which gives a duration?
6. Does I slept during the flight mean I slept for the whole flight?
7. Choose the corrected duration sentence.
8. Which uses all three relationships clearly?

Use it in your own words

Speaking 1

Describe something you do during an event.

Reveal a possible response

I take notes during lessons.

Success check: Use during with a noun phrase.

Speaking 2

Describe two overlapping actions.

Reveal a possible response

I listen to music while I cook.

Success check: Use while with a clear clause.

Put it all together

Describe a recent journey: locate an action within it, explain an overlap and give a duration.

Reveal a possible response

I read during the journey. I listened to music while I read. I read for twenty minutes.

Success check: Do not confuse event location with duration.

Take it with you

I can distinguish an event, an overlapping action and a duration.

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