A teacher explained to me the use of "pour" for expressing duration as that it is only use in speaking of a time in the future, I am going to Paris for ten days, J'irai à Paris pour ten jours. It is never used in expressing an event in the past that I am aware of. Ron

Bonjour Adrienne, Here is another explanation for the use of "pour" in expressing time duration. I find it helpful at times to check other resources to find out how that author views a question. Pour can express the duration of an event only in the future. Note that pendant could also be used in all of these. Je vais y habiter pour 2 mois. I'm going to live there for 2 months. Il étudiera en Europe pour 3 ans. He'll study in Europe for 3 years. Le projet est suspendu pour un an. The project is suspended for a year. Although the verb in the final example is not in the future, the use of pour indicates that the one-year suspension is either about to start or is currently underway. If the suspension had already occurred, you would have to use pendant: Le projet a été suspendu pendant un an. The project was suspended for a year. Ron