We usesinceas a preposition, a conjunction and an adverb to refer to a time, and as a conjunction to introduce a reason.
Since: time
We usesinceto refer back to a previous point in time. We usesinceas a preposition with a date, a time or a noun phrase:
It was the band’s first live performancesinceMay 1990.(since+ date)
I have been happily married for 26 years,sincethe age of 21.(since+ noun phrase)
We also usesinceas a conjunction to introduce a subordinate clause:
It’s so longsinceI saw them.(since+ clause)
Lenny had slept most of the waysinceleaving Texas.(since+ clause)
He’s been back to the office a few timessincehe retired.(since+ clause)
Sinceand tenses
Whensinceintroduces an action or event at a point of time in the past, we can use the past simple or present perfect aftersinceand the present perfect in the main clause:
They haven’t received any junk mailsincethey moved house.
They haven’t received any junk mailsincethey’ve moved house.
We can use the past simple, present perfect or past perfect aftersincewith the expressionit+be+ time +since:
It’s been yearssinceI rode a bike.(it’s=it has)
It’s been yearssinceI’ve ridden a bike.(it’s=it has)
It’s years sinceI rode a bike.(it’s=it is)
It’s yearssinceI’ve ridden a bike.(it’s=it is)
It’d been yearssinceI’d ridden a bike.(it’d=it had)
It’s been years since …is more common in American English thanIt’s years since ….
Whensinceintroduces a state in the past that is still continuing in the present, we use a present perfect form of the verb aftersinceand a present perfect form of the verb in the main clause:
SinceI’ve been back at work, I’ve been feeling great.
See also:
Fororsince?
Present perfect continuous (I have been working)
Past perfect continuous (I had been working)
Since+-ing
We can usesince+ -ingform to refer to time when the subject of the verb is the same in the main clause and the subordinate clause:
Sinceleavingschool, he has had three or four temporary jobs.(Since he left school, he has …)
Sincemovingfrom a Chicago suburb to southern California a few months ago, I’ve learned how to play a new game called Lanesmanship.(Since I moved …, I’ve learned …)
Since,since then
We can usesinceorsince thenas an adverb of time when the time reference is understood from the context:
His father doesn’t talk to him. They had an argument a couple of years ago and they haven’t spokensince.(since they had the argument)
They bought the house in 2006 and they’ve done a lot of work on itsincethen.(since 2006)
We useever sinceas a stronger form ofsinceorsince then:
When I was young, I had a little collie dog, but one day he bit me really badly. I’ve hated dogsever since.
Since: reason
We usesinceas a subordinating conjunction to introduce a subordinate clause. We use it to give a reason for something:
Sean had no reason to take a taxisincehis flat was near enough to walk to.
Sinceher husband hated holidays so much, she decided to go on her own.
They couldn’t deliver the parcelsinceno one was there to answer the door.
See also:
As
Because
Since: typical errors
We don’t usesincewith extended periods of time. We usefor:
She was waitingforfour hours.
Not:She was waiting since four hours.
We usesince, notfrom, with a clause referring back to a point in time:
I’ve been swimmingsinceI was three years old.
I’ve been swimmingfromthe age of three.
Not:I’ve been swimming from I was three years old.
We usesince, notonce, to introduce a reason:
I think I should have my money backsinceI didn’t have what was promised in the brochure.
Not:I think I should have my money back once I didn’t have…
We usesince, notago, after ‘it’s a long time’ when we refer back to a point in time:
It’s a long timesinceyour last letter.
Not:It’s a long time ago your last letter.