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Since - The final truth

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Latest post Thu, Sep 7 2006 1:39 AM by Anonymous. 3 replies.
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Anonymous  +  263405 Wed, 06 Sep 06 05:00 PM

Hello, could someone check these and tell me if anybody ever say them? Comments are appreciated.

  1. It's been a week since I saw my friends.
  2. It's been a week since I've seen my friends.
  3. It's been a week since I've graduated.
  4. I've been singing since I've been able to speak.
  5. I've been crying since you've been gone.
  6. I've been cheating on you since I've known you.
  7. I've been playing basketball all days since I've been out of the hospital.
  8. I've bought a lot of clothes since I've been using my stupid boyfriend's credit card.
  9. I've been having nightmares since I've been living here.
  10. I've seen your girlfriend only once since I've been here in Los Angeles.

I think only the third is not correct, the others are ok, maybe some of them break some meaningless grammar rules, but they're ok. That's why this thread is "the final truth." Thank you.

Stewie Griffin
Anonymous
Goodman  +  263437 Wed, 06 Sep 06 06:41 PM

Hi Stewie,

 My personal preference is to avoid using double present perfect tense, especially in the same sentence. It may sound heavy when present perfect is over used.

  1. It's been a week since I [last] saw my friends. ----ok
  2. It's been a week since I've seen my friends. --------ok
  3. It's been a week since [my graduation]  I've graduated. ----ok
  4. I've been singing since I've been able to speak.  ??? not sure of the meaning
  5. I've been crying since you've been gone. ------Ok but “since you were gone” is what most people would say.
  6. I've been cheating on you since I've known you. ------ok
  7. I've been playing basketball all days since I've been out of the hospital. ----logically reluctant but if you are strong enough, I guess it is ok.Big Smile [:D]

 

  1. I've bought a lot of clothes since I've been using my stupid boyfriend's credit card. ---sound reluctantly acceptable.

          I would say: I've bought a lot of clothes since my stupid boyfriend's letting me use his credit card. We can use gerund of a verb following "since" in a present perfect context to avoid a "double" present perfect construction which is not wrong but just my preference.  

  1. I've been having nightmares since I've been living here. ----don’t need “I’ve been”.
  2. I've seen your girlfriend only once since [my living] I've been here in Los Angeles.

That's just my opinion and preference.Wink [;)]
Goodman
Joined on Mon, Nov 7 2005
Senior Member 3,816
The name says it all!
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CalifJim  +  263511 Wed, 06 Sep 06 11:49 PM
... playing basketball every day since ...
Not all days.

Otherwise, they are all things people might say.

The formula It's been [period of time] since [present perfect] is best with a state or habit.

It's been a week since I've seen him.
It's been a week since I've known about that.

The same pattern ending with a simple past is better with an event.

It's been a week since I graduated.
It's been a week since I saw him.

(Note how seeing someone can be thought of as a habit or as an event, so both tenses work.)

CJ
CalifJim
Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004
California
Veteran Member 22,389
"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
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Anonymous, 3 yr 77 days ago

Thank you.

This thread is dedicated to those who keep saying "since must be used with the past simple, since + present perfect is not correct"

That's why I titled the thread "The final truth"

Stewie Griffin

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