Assignment - Infographics - 136

A Note on What Makes This an Infographic

Writing “since = a point in time, for = a duration” with two examples is a grammar note. An infographic makes the difference visible. A timeline shows what “since” and “for” each look like on paper - one anchors to a moment, the other spans a stretch. When a student looks at your infographic, the difference should be obvious before they read a single word.

Objective

Create a visual explainer infographic in Canva that makes the distinction between “since” and “for” immediately clear, using timeline diagrams, contrasting examples, and common mistakes.

Content to Cover

The Core Distinction

Since marks a starting point in time. It tells us when something began. The action or state has continued from that point up to now.

For measures a duration - a length of time. It tells us how long something has continued.

Both are used with the present perfect tense (and past perfect), because they describe a situation that started in the past and connects to now (or to another past moment).

Timeline Diagrams

Create two timeline diagrams:

Since diagram: Draw a timeline. Mark a specific point in the past (e.g., 2020). Draw an arrow from that point continuing to “now.” Label the starting point “since 2020.” The arrow shows the action continuing from that point.

• Example: “She has lived in Karachi since 2020.”
• More examples of “since” expressions: since Monday, since morning, since childhood, since I was a student, since the rain stopped.

For diagram: Draw a timeline. Shade a block of time (e.g., 4 years). The block starts somewhere in the past and extends to now. Label the shaded block “for 4 years.”

• Example: “She has lived in Karachi for 4 years.”
• More examples of “for” expressions: for two days, for a week, for six months, for a long time, for ages.

Quick Test

Add a decision rule box: To choose between “since” and “for,” ask yourself: “Am I naming a point in time or measuring a length of time?”

• Point in time → since (since last year, since 3 pm, since I graduated)
• Length of time → for (for two hours, for many years, for a while)

Common Mistakes

Add a short error correction panel:

• Wrong: “I have been waiting since two hours.” → Correct: “I have been waiting for two hours.”
• Wrong: “We have known each other for 2019.” → Correct: “We have known each other since 2019.”

Design in Canva

• Two main panels side by side: one for “since,” one for “for.”
• Each panel contains a timeline diagram and example sentences.
• The decision rule box below both panels.
• Common mistakes in a highlighted error correction panel at the bottom.
• Use contrasting colors: since in one color, for in another, consistently throughout.

Required Elements

• Timeline diagram for both “since” and “for.”
• At least 4 example expressions for each.
• The decision test question.
• A common mistakes panel with corrections.
• Title: “Since and For: Prepositions of Time.”