tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377709913595182916.post2136371842913278955..comments2024-03-14T10:31:26.918+00:00Comments on DCblog: On since/agoDChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10192779827863835310noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377709913595182916.post-78834731281579717862010-09-03T12:42:18.996+00:002010-09-03T12:42:18.996+00:00Whilst it's certainly possible to use since an...Whilst it's certainly possible to use since and ago in the same phrase I really don't see the point in doing so. I can't think of any example where "for" wouldn't do the job more elegantly. To use since and ago in the same phrase you have to be talking about a time expression of duration that includes the present (since) and the past (ago), "for" does this perfectly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377709913595182916.post-89063839372049439312010-07-30T08:52:22.769+00:002010-07-30T08:52:22.769+00:00There are lots of online forums. One of the best i...There are lots of online forums. One of the best is the BBC world service site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/DChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10192779827863835310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377709913595182916.post-22766653152588510272010-07-29T11:41:33.981+00:002010-07-29T11:41:33.981+00:00I'm an ESL teacher at a secondary school in Ba...I'm an ESL teacher at a secondary school in Barcelona and I keep on teaching the use of SINCE and AGO as I was taught many years ago. It's true that my students use both words in the same sentence as a result of the interference with Spanish and Catalan.<br />How can I know when to correct them on the use of these words and others? Apart from reading your interesting articles and posts, is there any page on Internet where I can keep my English alive and up-to-date?<br />Thank you.Pilar Péreznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377709913595182916.post-52718135431126540322010-07-17T10:56:55.326+00:002010-07-17T10:56:55.326+00:00The examples I used - and there are many more from...The examples I used - and there are many more from native speakers - show that this is by no means just an example of foreign language interference.DChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10192779827863835310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377709913595182916.post-31325622010120626212010-07-17T10:21:13.351+00:002010-07-17T10:21:13.351+00:00Since 2007
(2007 = 3 years ago)
Since 3 years ago....Since 2007<br />(2007 = 3 years ago)<br />Since 3 years ago.<br />Grammatically it makes sense. But it wouldn't be used much by native speakers.<br />I think it's a direct translation of Spanish: <br />desde hace 3 años<br />desde = since<br />hace 3 años = 3 years agoMartin Lapworthnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377709913595182916.post-35840142861166890872010-07-13T19:45:36.151+00:002010-07-13T19:45:36.151+00:00A couple of (confused) thoughts spring to mind. Fi...A couple of (confused) thoughts spring to mind. First, to my mind <i>since</i> asks us to refer back to a specific point in time, and not to a more general period of time. So <i>since three years</i> wants to be specific but isn't. (Although why <i>since precisely three years</i> continues to sound wrong to my ears isn't clear, except perhaps that the <i>precisely</i> doesn't make up for the more general feel of the phrase.)<br />Second, isn't this a common usage of foreign speakers? For example, French speakers seem to like making a direct translation of <i>depuis trois ans</i>. It's in that context that this usage seems most familiar.Paul Keelingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377709913595182916.post-40873081239950349732010-07-11T14:24:33.188+00:002010-07-11T14:24:33.188+00:00It does sound a little odd, though. I can't pu...It does sound a little odd, though. I can't put my finger on why. I think I'd usually go with 'For three years' instead of 'since three years ago', but 'for three years' suggests I've been doing it continuously, which might not be what I wish to say. I really think I'd go out of my way to avoid it, even though your explanation is perfectly rational and I hear it too from time to time. For instance, "I've been living here for three years" or "I've gone to art classes since July 2010"<br /><br />Why do I think I just don't like it, even if it is grammatically sensible?! How bizarre!Lady Justinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14469908472238405598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377709913595182916.post-34702941061064261772010-07-10T06:12:05.698+00:002010-07-10T06:12:05.698+00:00Interesting point, and interesting way of explaini...Interesting point, and interesting way of explaining the 'issue'. I don't think they should be used together, because as you said ' Another way of putting it is when teachers say that ago is looking from the present towards the past, whereas since is looking from the past towards the present.' And I have enough trouble mixing tenses as it is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377709913595182916.post-18838322020147855172010-07-07T07:36:10.914+00:002010-07-07T07:36:10.914+00:00My blog is a reactive one, so I only write posts a...My blog is a reactive one, so I only write posts about issues that correspondents consider real. The best people to answer your query would thus be those, like the person who sent in the question, who have been taught the rule in that way. But a quick check on Google shows several English forums churning it out.DChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10192779827863835310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377709913595182916.post-54344894218947536762010-07-07T00:17:23.702+00:002010-07-07T00:17:23.702+00:00I'm pretty astonished that your post was neces...I'm pretty astonished that your post was necessary. What are these weird grammar books that maintain that <i>since</i> and <i>ago</i> are incompatible?<br />Are any of them really still in print?David Crosbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01858358459416955921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377709913595182916.post-60118482160626938502010-07-06T10:23:38.472+00:002010-07-06T10:23:38.472+00:00I would say that since refers back from the presen...I would say that <i>since</i> refers back from the present to a precise time-point in the past, however that point is defined. For example:<br /><br /><i>I got married four years ago</i><br />can give:<br />i) <i>I have lived here since my marriage.</i><br />ii) <i>I have lived here since I got married.</i><br />iii) <i>I have lived since four years ago.</i><br /><br />ii) can be seen as an elliptical version of<br />iia) <i>I have lived here since I got married four years ago.</i><br />which seems to suggest that the construction is perfectly good.Peter Harveyhttp://www.lavengrobooks.comnoreply@blogger.com