During vs For vs While

This exercise helps you practise how to use “during,” “for,” and “while” to talk about time. Although they all relate to time, each word is used in different grammatical structures. You'll learn to choose the correct one depending on whether you're describing the length of an action, the background time of another action, or a specific event. Ideal for B1 learners who want to speak and write about time more naturally and clearly.

1. We stayed in Paris _____ a week.

for

during

while

2. She fell asleep _____ watching a movie.

during

while

for

3. I met a lot of interesting people _____ the conference.

while

for

during

4. We didn’t speak _____ a long time after the argument.

while

during

for

5. Please turn off your phone _____ the performance.

during

while

for

6. She called me _____ I was cooking dinner.

for

during

while

7. They lived in London _____ five years before moving abroad.

during

while

for

8. I didn’t hear my phone ring _____ the meeting.

while

for

during

9. He smiled _____ telling the story.

for

while

during

10. We were on the train _____ two hours.

during

while

for

11. The lights went out _____ the storm.

while

for

during

12. He stayed silent _____ I explained everything.

while

for

during