Diamondrg  +  167711 Thu, 08 Dec 05 03:48 PM as a time adverb as far as I know since can be used in these ways: 1- Present Perfect//since//Simple Past She's lost over 20 Ibs in weight since she started that diet. 2- Past Perfect//since// Simple Past The place had completely changed since I went there three years ago. 3- Present Perfect Continuous//since//Present Perfect She's made a lot of friends since she's been living here. 4- Past Perfect//since//Simple Past Yesterday Bobby told me he hadn't eaten since Tuesday. but the sentence below is against the rule. can you explain the reason why simple past//since// past perfect is used in the sentence?  He ate well for the first time since he had left the camp for his last shift of work http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:NfwZkf5QgE0J:www.freeonlinereading.com/C7.htm+%22He+ate+well+for+the+first+time+since+he%22&hl=tr   Diamondrg Joined on Fri, Dec 2 2005 Contributing Member 1,043 Verbs, Adverbs, Past Perfect, Simple Past, Present Perfect

	pieanne  +  167717 Thu, 08 Dec 05 04:05 PM I know I'm not answering your question, but 3. doesn't seem correct to me. I would write "since she started living here/since she moved here". I can't find an example where "since" is used with the present perfect (in the meaning "from the moment, day, year... when). It refers to a precise moment in the past, and the correct tense is the simple past.   pieanne Joined on Thu, Jan 20 2005 South of France ...But I'm Belgian! Veteran Member 7,517 I'm glad to help, but I'm not a native! And please excuse my typos... Tenses, Simple Past, Present Perfect

	Diamondrg  +  167719 Thu, 08 Dec 05 04:22 PM That sentence you are referring to is from Longman Contemporary English, Pieanne. I find it hard to understand why we need to say that instead of what you said, too. A native speaker can clarify these for us I think. Diamondrg

	pieanne  +  167720 Thu, 08 Dec 05 04:29 PM Oh!  Well, it just doesn't seem right to me but yes, let's wait for a native...   pieanne

	davkett  +  167767 Thu, 08 Dec 05 07:04 PM All I can say, as a native speaker, is that no.3 (She's made a lot of friends since she's been living here) is commonly heard.  I think Pieanne has a point, though, from the grammatical/semantical angle.  Since would have to be understood as during the time; I don't know if that is officially viable.   davkett Joined on Tue, Jun 7 2005 Pennsylvania, USA Senior Member 2,788 "The rose stays fresh in its name..." -Bernard of Morlay

	Diamondrg  +  167773 Thu, 08 Dec 05 07:15 PM thank you davkett and pieanne. but what about this? He ate well for the first time since he had left the camp for his last shift of work it comes to me since has been used here as if it were "after". Alice felt more independent after she had learnt to drive. am I right? or is "since" not an adverb of time here but an adverb of reason? http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:NfwZkf5QgE0J:www.freeonlinereading.com/C7.htm+%22He+ate+well+for+the+first+time+since+he%22&hl=tr Diamondrg Verbs, Adverbs