Choose the correct prepositions for the blanks:
He has been living ______ Calcutta ______ last three years.

Question

Choose the correct prepositions for the blanks:
 He has been living ______ Calcutta ______ last three years.

Accepted Answer

Option 2, "in, for," is the correct choice for the sentence "He has been living ______ Calcutta ______ last three years." Let's break down why this option is correct and why the others are not.

1. **Explanation for Option 2 (Correct Answer):**
   - **"in" Calcutta:** The preposition "in" is used to indicate that someone is located within a specific place or area. In this context, "in" is appropriate because it denotes that the person has been residing within the city of Calcutta.
   - **"for" last three years:** The preposition "for" is used to indicate a duration of time. Here, it specifies the length of time the person has been living in Calcutta, which is three years. "For" is the correct preposition to use when referring to a period of time.

2. **Explanation for why other options are incorrect:**

- **Option 1: "in, since"**
     - While "in" is correct for the first blank, "since" is incorrect for the second blank in this context. "Since" is used to indicate the starting point of a period of time and is typically followed by a specific date or event (e.g., "since 2020"). It does not fit well with "last three years," which refers to a duration rather than a starting point.

- **Option 3: "at, for"**
     - "At" is generally used to refer to specific points or locations, such as "at the station" or "at home." It is not suitable for cities or larger areas, where "in" is more appropriate. Therefore, "at" is incorrect for the first blank, even though "for" is correct for the second blank.

- **Option 4: "into, since"**
     - "Into" implies movement or direction towards the inside of something, which does not fit the context of residing in a city. Additionally, as explained earlier, "since" is not suitable for indicating a duration of time like "last three years."

In conclusion, Option 2 is the correct choice because it accurately uses "in" to denote living within Calcutta and "for" to indicate the duration of three years.