Since and tenses. Since 용법, 문장구조

※ Since and tenses

 

1. When since introduces an action or event at a point of time in the past, we can use the past simple or present perfect after since and the present perfect in the main clause:

e.g.)

They haven’t received any junk mail since they moved house.

<주절+현재완료 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ , since+과거>

​

They haven’t received any junk mail since they’ve moved house.

<주절+현재완료 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ , since+현재완료>

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2. We can use the past simple, present perfect or past perfect after since with the expression it + be + time + since:

e.g.)

It's been years since I rode a bike. (it’s = it has)

<It+현재완료+time~, since+과거>

​

It's years since I rode a bike. (it’s = it is)

<It+현재+time~, since+과거>

​

It had been a long time since we last met. → 이 예문은 캠브릿지사전이 아니라, 다른 분이 질문하신 것이에요.

<It+과거완료+time~, since+과거>

​

It's been years since I’ve ridden a bike. (it’s = it has)

<It+현재완료+time~, since+현재완료>

​

It's years since I’ve ridden a bike. (it’s = it is)

<It+현재+time~, since+현재완료>

​

It’d been years since I’d ridden a bike. (it’d = it had)

<It+과거완료+time~, since+과거완료>

​

***참고사항) • years: pl. 비격식 (years): 오랜 세월[시간], 오래, 다년간

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3. When since introduces a state in the past that is still continuing in the present, we use a present perfect form of the verb after since and a present perfect form of the verb in the main clause:
e.g.)
Since I’ve been back at work, I’ve been feeling great.
<주절+현재완료 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~, since+현재완료진행>

 

 

4. 
4-1) UP UNTIL THEN
e.g.) 
Christina had lived with the family since she was born.
<주절+과거완료 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~, since+과거>
: The speaker of these words is looking backwards in time at Christina's life. The action extends forward from a point in the past to another later point in the past.

 

 

4-2) UP UNTIL NOW
e.g.) 
Christina has lived with the family since she was born.
<주절+현재완료 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~, since+과거>
: The speaker of these words is looking at Christina's life as it extends from the past forward into the present.

 

 

5. You can use "since" anywhere in a sentence, the tense would probably be past, past perfect, past progressive since whatever it was happened in the past.
e.g.) 
a. It has been 30 years since they met each other in the pub. - (correct)
b. It is 30 years since they met each other in the pub. - (understandable, (a) is better)
c. It was 30 years since they met..... - (correct, (d) is better)
d. It had been 30 years since they met.... - (correct)
e. He has taught the students since he was 23 years old. - (correct)
f. He had taught the students since he was 23 years old. - (correct, you will probably mention something else also)
g. His own mother has inspired him since he was a little child. - (correct)
h. His own mother had inspired him since he was a little child. - (correct)
i. He taught the students since he was... - (correct)
j. His own mother inspired him since he was a little child. - (correct)