5.128 'for' for emphasis

'For' is used with a plural noun group to emphasize how long something lasts.

• Settlers have been coming here for centuries.
• I don't think he's practised much for years.
• I've been asking you about these doors for months.

5.129

You can also use a general time word with 'after' followed by the same general time word to emphasize that a state continues for a long time or that an action is repeated continuously for a long time.

• A village sees the same hands century after century.
• They can go on making losses, year after year, without fearing that they will go bust.