One of the most common grammatically incorrect Indianisms is the misuse of 'for' and 'since' when describing timescales. These are the rules for how you should use them, without exception:
You use 'for' when describing a length of time.
Example - "I have been waiting here for 2 hours".
You use 'since' when referring to a specific point of time in the past.
Example - "I have been waiting here since 4.00 PM".
Many people confuse the usage of the 2 words, and use 'since' to describe a length of time. This is incorrect under any circumstance. It is a mistake so frequent, even teachers, journalists & editors commit it every day. Let me recap:
Correct - I have owned this car for 5 years.
Correct - I have owned this car since 2005.
Wrong - I have owned this car since 5 years.
You can view my full article on Indianisms, on CNNGo: http://www.cnngo.com/mumbai/life/10-indianisms-652344
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