long and for a long time

Long is most common in questions and negative sentences, and after too and so.

  • How long did you wait? I didn’t play for long.
  • The concert was too long.

In affirmative sentences, we usually use a long time.

  • I waited (for) a long time. ( I waited long is possible, but not usual.)
  • It takes a long time to get to her house.