"During" goes with NAMED PERIODS (during the meeting, during summer); "for" goes with MEASURED TIME DURATIONS (for two hours, for three weeks).
DURING: preposition indicating that something occurs WITHIN a NAMED PERIOD or identifiable event. Followed by a NOUN (not a numeric duration). "During the meeting" = within the time period of the meeting. "During summer" = within the summer period. "During the presentation" = while the presentation was taking place. DURING answers the question: IN WHAT PERIOD/EVENT did it happen? The period has a name or is identifiable but its duration is not given numerically. "During the conference" (the duration of the conference is not stated, just that it occurred within it).
Several participants asked excellent questions during the Q&A session that added real depth to the discussion.
The power went out briefly during the board meeting — fortunately, the backup generator restored it within a few minutes.
During the merger negotiations, both parties agreed to a strict confidentiality clause preventing any external disclosure of the terms.
FOR: preposition indicating the MEASURED DURATION of an action or situation. Followed by a NUMERIC QUANTITY OF TIME. "For two hours" = for two hours (the duration is 2 hours). "For three weeks" = for three weeks. "For a long time" = for a long time. FOR answers the question: HOW LONG did it last? Duration is expressed in numbers or quantities. FOR is very common with present perfect and simple past: "I have been waiting FOR an hour." "She worked there FOR five years." IMPORTANT: in Spanish, both "during" and "for" translate as "durante", which causes confusion for Spanish speakers.
The team worked continuously for fourteen hours to meet the client deadline — their commitment to delivery was extraordinary.
She has been in her current role for just under two years and has already transformed the way the department handles cross-functional collaboration.
The regulatory approval process took far longer than anticipated — for nearly eighteen months, the project was essentially on hold.
Common mistake
The two classic errors: (1) "During two hours, she worked" = INCORRECT. DURING goes with NAMED PERIODS, not numeric time quantities. "Two hours" is a numeric duration = use FOR: "FOR two hours, she worked." (2) "She called for the meeting" = the meaning changes: "FOR the meeting" does not indicate duration, it indicates purpose (she called for the purpose of the meeting). To indicate duration within the event: "She called DURING the meeting." (3) "I slept during 8 hours" = INCORRECT. 8 hours = numeric duration = FOR: "I slept FOR 8 hours." (4) In Spanish "durante dos horas" = "FOR two hours" (not "during two hours"). The Spanish word "durante" can mean both DURING and FOR, which creates the confusion.
Trick to remember it
THE NUMBER RULE: if after the preposition there is a NUMBER (two hours, five years, three months) = use FOR. If after it there is a NAMED NOUN (the meeting, summer, the weekend, the presentation) = use DURING. Quick test: "I worked _____ the conference." = DURING (the conference = name/event). "I worked _____ three days." = FOR (three days = number + time unit). "I worked _____ the three-day conference." = DURING (the three-day conference = named event, even though it contains a number as an adjective). The number modifies the noun rather than functioning as a direct duration.
Quick rule
During = within a NAMED PERIOD/EVENT (during the meeting, during summer). For = NUMERIC DURATION (for 3 hours, for 5 years). In Spanish both are "durante" but in English they are different words. Number + time = FOR. Name/event = DURING.
Did you know?
The word "during" has a fascinating linguistic history. It comes from the present participle of the Latin verb "durare" (to last, to endure), which in turn comes from "durus" (hard, firm). In Middle English, "during" was used as a participle: "the peace during" = the peace while it lasts. Gradually it lost its verbal function and fossilized as a preposition. The etymological connection between "during," "durable," and "duration" is direct: all three words come from the same Latin root. This explains why "during" always implies reference to a PERIOD that "lasts" or "persists" — the period has temporal extension even if not measured numerically. The preposition "for," by contrast, is purely Germanic and one of the most frequent terms in English (top 10 by usage frequency in corpora).
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
She was completely unreachable _____ the three-week audit — her team had to handle all external communications independently.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The development team has been working on the new infrastructure _____ almost eight months and expects to deliver the first stable release next quarter.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
During = within a NAMED PERIOD/EVENT (during the meeting, during summer). For = NUMERIC DURATION (for 3 hours, for 5 years). In Spanish both are "durante" but in English they are different words. Number + time = FOR. Name/event = DURING.
The two classic errors: (1) "During two hours, she worked" = INCORRECT. DURING goes with NAMED PERIODS, not numeric time quantities. "Two hours" is a numeric duration = use FOR: "FOR two hours, she worked." (2) "She called for the meeting" = the meaning changes: "FOR the meeting" does not indicate duration, it indicates purpose (she called for the purpose of the meeting). To indicate duration within the event: "She called DURING the meeting." (3) "I slept during 8 hours" = INCORRECT. 8 hours = numeric duration = FOR: "I slept FOR 8 hours." (4) In Spanish "durante dos horas" = "FOR two hours" (not "during two hours"). The Spanish word "durante" can mean both DURING and FOR, which creates the confusion.
THE NUMBER RULE: if after the preposition there is a NUMBER (two hours, five years, three months) = use FOR. If after it there is a NAMED NOUN (the meeting, summer, the weekend, the presentation) = use DURING. Quick test: "I worked _____ the conference." = DURING (the conference = name/event). "I worked _____ three days." = FOR (three days = number + time unit). "I worked _____ the three-day conference." = DURING (the three-day conference = named event, even though it contains a number as an adjective). The number modifies the noun rather than functioning as a direct duration.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy