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Anonymous Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
usage of since and ago based on a textbook
I told my students that you cannot put since and ago in the same sentence (such as "I have been painting the fences since two weeks ago") unless you put a clause after since (like "I have been painting the fences since my wife bought some paint two weeks ago"). My manager told me that I was totally wrong and asked me why I was teaching the wrong concept about such a "basic grammar question"...
I googled and saw lots of people talking about this topic and I am sure that there are opinions on both sides, however when I showed them my references from the web they still disagreed with me and told me to bring a textbook.
So...can anyone provide me with the title and author (or publisher) of a textbook that clearly explains this topic?
I googled and saw lots of people talking about this topic and I am sure that there are opinions on both sides, however when I showed them my references from the web they still disagreed with me and told me to bring a textbook.
So...can anyone provide me with the title and author (or publisher) of a textbook that clearly explains this topic?
Top answer
I'm sure you'll agree that there's nothing wrong with 'I've been painting the fence since yesterday'. Likewise, I see nothing wrong with your original sentence (though it does sound a bit casual to my ears). While you can certainly rewrite it as 'I've been painting the fence since I started it two weeks ago', the 'I started' part seems redundant.
- I'm sure you'll agree that there's nothing wrong with 'I've been painting the fence since yesterday'.
- Likewise, I see nothing wrong with your original sentence (though it does sound a bit casual to my ears).
- While you can certainly rewrite it as 'I've been painting the fence since I started it two weeks ago', the 'I started' part seems redundant.
- That said, I wonder if some speakers would prefer to use/see 'I've been painting the fence for the past two weeks'.
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14 Answers
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I'm sure you'll agree that there's nothing wrong with 'I've been painting the fence since yesterday'. Likewise, I see nothing wrong with your original sentence (though it does sound a bit casual to my ears). While you can certainly rewrite it as 'I've been painting the fence since I started it two weeks ago', the 'I started' part seems redundant.
That said, I wonder if some speakers would
That said, I wonder if some speakers would
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Hi, thank you for answering =)
First, I do agree with your sentence and I learned in my school years that after since we put a "specific point of time" such as 10 o'clock, last week etc., but I have never seen since and ago together in one sentence except for the example I gave.
I googled and, like I said, found out that this has been debated a lot and there are opinions on both sides
First, I do agree with your sentence and I learned in my school years that after since we put a "specific point of time" such as 10 o'clock, last week etc., but I have never seen since and ago together in one sentence except for the example I gave.
I googled and, like I said, found out that this has been debated a lot and there are opinions on both sides
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I'm not sure though if songs are always grammatically incorrect, but I have notice the same pattern in one of Taylor Swift's songs.
Title: Everything Has Changed
All I knew this morning when I woke
Is I know something now, know something now I didn't before
And all I've seen since 18 hours ago is green eyes ......
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I have argued this matter as we
Title: Everything Has Changed
All I knew this morning when I woke
Is I know something now, know something now I didn't before
And all I've seen since 18 hours ago is green eyes ......
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I have argued this matter as we
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Guren FirippuI'm not sure though if songs are always grammatically incorrect,Many songs are grammatically correct.
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I really can't find clear enough answers on a textbook myself and I'm really getting a headache...
And because I only have internet resources my manager keeps saying that doesn't prove I'm right.
The problem is, though, I didn't say that the book was wrong, I just said it is informal English= =
And because I only have internet resources my manager keeps saying that doesn't prove I'm right.
The problem is, though, I didn't say that the book was wrong, I just said it is informal English= =
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Sorry I forgot to say that I posted this question...and I don't know why my reply for Ivanhr disappeared...
If it doesn't come out I'll re-post again= =
If it doesn't come out I'll re-post again= =
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hsin10414451I really can't find clear enough answers on a textbook myself and I'm really getting a headache..We have discussed this topic before in EnglishForward. Here is a recent discussion:
I personally avoid using since (time period) ago.
OK (I would say this): For the last 18 hours, I have been cramming for the exam.
Not OK (I w
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My manager refuses to see references from the internet...that's the problem I'm having
I have found tons and tons of explanations
I have found tons and tons of explanations
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I think the best answer you're going to get is given by AS -- it's not a matter of grammar, but rather one of style.
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hsin10414451My manager refuses to see references from the internet...The Google ngram site lets you search on published books in the English language. It demonstrates (by real evidence) how writers use the English language. Textbooks will not be as thorough. Language changes over time, so old textbooks go out of date with current actual language usage.
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