Ever since

Question

Hi,I haven't seen him again since he moved away.I haven't seen him again ever since he moved away.Could you tell me the difference between 'since' and 'ever since'? Thanks.

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

Anon - I had to think about this one for a while...but here goes.

Since introduces a dependent clause, and it is OK to use more adverbs of time and frequency in the main clause. You can say:
OK - I have seen him many times since he moved away.
OK - I have (not) seen him often since he moved away.
OK - I have visited him twice since he moved away.

Ever since emphasizes that complete and continuous period of time from that "since" moment to the present time. Using other adverbs of time or frequency with "ever since" does not sound natural.
OK - I haven't seen him ever since he moved away. (during that whole period)
OK - Ever since he moved away, I've been very lonely. (this is a more common usage of ever since, to describe a feeling, emotion, or continuous activity over that time)
OK - I've had trouble sleeping ever since he moved away.
OK - Since he moved away, I have cried myself to sleep every night. (not "ever since")
Not OK- I have seen him twice ever since he moved away.
I would not use again with "ever since". Even in the first sentence, "again" does not sound natural, because it is a repetition of the same thought and adds no meaning.

Avangi · Answer

AlpheccaStars OK - I haven't seen him ever since he moved away. (during that whole period)

Hi, A.*'s. I can't get my ear around this one. Maybe it's the negative. I think if I wanted to emphasize the "whole thing," I'd say, "I haven't seen him even once since he moved away."

OR "I haven't seen him - not even once - since he moved away."

Somehow the present continuous doesn't bother me with the negative, but I have no idea what rules govern these things. I'm going strictly by ear.

He hasn't been talking to his mother ever since he moved away." (not on speaking terms) I guess this is like your antepenultimate example. (Sorry, I get confused between second-from-last and first-from-last.)

Anonymous · Answer

Hi Avangi,
Thanks for your reply.
Could you tell me what they mean:
get my ear around...
I'm going strictly by ear

Thanks.

Anonymous · Answer

Hi Alphecca, thanks for your reply.

AlpheccaStarsOK - I haven't seen him ever since he moved away. (during that whole period)
OK - Ever since he moved away, I've been very lonely. (this is a more common usage of ever since, to describe a feeling, emotion, or continuous activity over that time)
OK - I've had trouble sleeping ever since he moved away.

Can I use 'since' in all of the above examples?

It doesn't emphasize the whole time of the period when using 'since', right?

AlpheccaStars1.OK - I've had trouble sleeping ever since he moved away.
2.OK - Since he moved away, I have cried myself to sleep every night. (not "ever since")

I can't understand why 'ever since' is ok in #1 but not in #2. Could you please explain about it?

Thanks.

Avangi · Answer

Anonymous Could you tell me what they mean:
get my ear around... Oh well - I guess I made that up.

I'd say it comes from the idea of "grasping" something, or "getting a grip" on something. Literally, "to grasp" is to take something firmly in your hand. But we frequently use the expression figuratively, as in "to grasp the idea of Einsteins Theory of Relativity."
Working backward, I'd say, "I can't grasp it - I can't get my fingers around it - I can't get my brain around it."

By "I can't get my ear around it," I meant my brain will not accept what my ear is telling it, or my ear will not accept what it's hearing, in which "my ear" means (in this case) my sense, or conception, of how sentences should sound.

I'm going strictly by ear By this I mean that I can't defend my opinion with rules of grammar, but am making a judgement based only on how I've been taught - "We don't say that; we say this."

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Question 1 - Yes, you can use "since" or "ever sense." It is always OK to use "since". by itself.

Since he moved away, I've been very lonely.
I've had trouble sleeping since he moved away.
Question 2:
#2 contains an adverb in the main clause. - "every night" and #1 does not.
Negative example: I haven't slept a wink ever since he moved away.

Do you know what an adverb is? I have underlined them in the examples.

UsamaH · Answer

That was very useful, thanks Alph.Stars

Anonymous · Answer

Hi Avangi,
Thanks very much for your detailed explanation.

Hi AlpheccaStars,

Thanks a lot for enlightening me. Doesn't 'since' emphasize during the whole period of time in the example below?

Since he moved away, I've been very lonely.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousI haven't seen him again since he moved away.

I haven't seen him again ever since he moved away.

Could you tell me the difference between 'since' and 'ever since'?

From www.m-w.com

ever

2 a: at any time <more than ever before>

I'd say that since means from the time when; ever since means at any time from the time when. since already includes the idea of ever, so ever must be seen only as an emotional intensifier to emphasize how thoroughly absent "he" has been. The use of again makes the statement even more emphatic:

I haven't seen him another time at any time from the time when he moved away.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Hi Cj,

1.Do you mean 'again' works in both of the two sentences:

I haven't seen him again since he moved away.

I haven't seen him again ever since he moved away.

2.You said "so ever must be seen only as an emotional intensifier".
"Since" doesn't work as an emotional intensifier by itself like 'ever', right?

Thanks a lot for your reply.

Ever since

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