Since / from for different tenses

Question

Hello, everyone.How can I use 'since' or 'from' to mark the beginning of a continued action?Here are some sentences I made:1.My internet hasn't been working since this morning.2.My internet hasn't been working from this morning.3.My internet doesn't work since this morning.4.My internet doesn't work from this morning.5.My internet didn't work since this morning.6.My internet didn't work from this morning.7.My internet isn't working since this morning.8.My internet isn't working from this morning.-Which are correct sentences? And what are differences between them?- Is it awkard to use 'beginning' or 'starting from' instead?-And what if I put 'last monday'(or any time that's more distant) in the place of 'this morning'? would there be anything that should be changed?-Also, which ones would be the most suitable to use in an oral conversation?Thanks for reading my long post.

Marius Hancu · Accepted Answer

I'd say only since would do the job here.

Check:
Troublesome time expressions
http://www.iei.uiuc.edu/structure/structure1/advclauses.html
http://www.iei.uiuc.edu/structure/structure1/time.html#sm

Also, see e.g.:
http://tinyurl.com/ktrgf

Yoplain · Answer

Thanks for the links. I've just skimmed through those pages.

So now I guess :

1.My internet hasn't been working since this morning. - correct

2.My internet hasn't been working from this morning. - wrong

3.My internet doesn't work since this morning. - ?

4.My internet doesn't work from this morning. - wrong(?)

5.My internet didn't work since this morning. - ?

6.My internet didn't work from this morning. - correct

(= My internet didn't work from this morning until a certain moment but now it works back again.)

7.My internet isn't working since this morning. - ?

8.My internet isn't working from this morning. - wrong

For number 4, I'm confused because number 6 is correct and number 4 is similar to that one.

Can someone confirm if my guesses are right or wrong?

And can you please answer to my other questions?

Goodman · Answer

YoplainThanks for the links. I've just skimmed through those pages.

So now I guess :

1.My internet hasn't been working since this morning. - correct

2.My internet hasn't been working from this morning. - wrong

3.My internet doesn't work since this morning. - ?

4.My internet doesn't work from this morning. - wrong(?)

5.My internet didn't work since this morning. - ?

6.My internet didn't work from this morning. - correct

(= My internet didn't work from this morning until a certain moment but now it works back again.)

7.My internet isn't working since this morning. - ?

8.My internet isn't working from this morning. - wrong

For number 4, I'm confused because number 6 is correct and number 4 is similar to that one.

Can someone confirm if my guesses are right or wrong?

And can you please answer to my other questions?

Hi Yoplain,

When “since” is used in a sentence, it suggests something has happened over a period of time. This should remind us that present perfect or past perfect tense may be in order, depending on the context. “Since” should not be used in the present or present progressive context. Having said that, I’d offer these answers.

1.My internet hasn't been working since this morning. - correct

2.My internet hasn't been working from this morning. Incorrect

3.My internet doesn't work since this morning. - ? Incorrect

4.My internet doesn't work from this morning. – wrong. Incorrect

5.My internet didn't work since this morning. - ? Incorrect

6.My internet didn't work from this morning. - Incorrect

(= My internet didn't work from this morning until a certain moment but now it works back again.)

7.My internet isn't working since this morning. - ? Incorrect

8.My internet isn't working from this morning. - Incorrect

Yoplain · Answer

Thank you all for your answers.

But there's still one thing I don't understand.

In one of the references that Hancu gave I found the following example:

'I was sick from Monday until Wednesday '

And my own dictionary has this sample sentence :

'She was unhappy from her first day at boarding school'.

What is the difference between the previous ones and '6.My internet didn't work from this morning. - Incorrect'?

And is it always wrong to replace 'since' with 'beginning' or 'starting from'?

Goodman · Answer

['I was sick] [ from Monday until Wednesday] ---[Until] is incorrect. The correct form is [from x to y]. [From]in this case was used in a simple adverbial phrase.. Here, “I was sick” is the main sentence. [from Monday to Wednesday]described when.

Notice the two examples you gave have the same basic structure.

[She was unhappy] [from her first day at boarding school]. The context of this sentence allows the option of using “from” or “since” and still retains the meaning. The tense may need to be present perfect based on the context.

[ from Monday to Wednesday]. My perception is that you are referring to the last Wednesday. If you are making this statement on Thursday, then I’d expect you to say [from Monday to yesterday]. However, since there was no specific time qualifier in your sentence, by reading this sentence, I can only assume that you probably made this statement on Friday forward and you were referring back to the past Monday.

So this is what I would say “I was sick from this past Monday toWednesday.

We need to learn to apply logic and perception when we write sentences or essays because otherwise the readers can’t understand clearly what you try to say.

Hope that helps...

Yoplain · Answer

Thanks, your explanation  was very helpful.

Anonymous · Answer

I think you confuse since/ for with since / from

Since / from for different tenses

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions