Since...

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Since...Since...The below sentences are from Oxford dictionary.Let me tell you what I have known about it from Longman dictionary - which I look up for the answer to the below questionable sentences.1 It's years since I road a bike.Longman says "it's years since" is British English equivalent of "it's been years since." So that's OK with me.2 It’s twenty years since I’ve seen her. Most sentences have 'past' tense in the clause next to since.But #2 sentence has 'have seen.'Can you explain how come this happen to me? 3 It's been ages since we last met.But can I use 'since we'd last met' in #3?I think we cannot, because of the presence of 'last' which indicates 'past' sentence.Am I right?4 She had been worrying ever since the letter arrived.This Oxford sentence makes me awful curious. Can we use 'past perfect' tense with 'since' clause past tense? Can we really?Thanks in advance.

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

Stenka251 It's years since I rode a bike. >> It is years since I rode a bike.

Longman says "it's years since" is British English equivalent of "it's been years since." So that's OK with me.

2 It’s twenty years since I’ve seen her. >> It is twenty years since I have seen her. - this means that the last time I saw her was 20 years ago,

3 It's been ages since we last met.>> It has been ages since we last met. - this means the last time we met was a long time ago. I might say this to a friend when I am first meeting him. The "has been ages" is now just being completed.

But can I use 'since we'd last met' in #3? >> No, you cannot say this. "It has been ages since we had met." The reason is that "had met" means the action was completed in the past, and this conflicts with the time reference in the first clause, which means the action is incomplete in the present. It has nothing to do with the adverb "last".

I think we cannot, because of the presence of 'last' which indicates 'past' sentence.
Am I right?

4 She had been worrying ever since the letter arrived.

This Oxford sentence makes me awful curious. Can we use 'past perfect' tense with 'since' clause past tense? Can we really?
Yes. Here are the 2 examples

She has been worrying ever since the letter arrived. This means that the letter arrived, and she started to worry, and she did not stop worrying. She is still worrying.

She had been worrying ever since the letter arrived. This means that the letter arrived, and she started to worry, and some time later, before now, she stopped worrying. Maybe she got a phone call or another letter, but, whatever the cause, she is not worried now.

Stenka25 · Answer

Thanks.
You've been a great help.

Stenka25 · Answer

Thanks, AlpheccaStars.
You give me a great help.

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