一、since通常通常搭配的时态

当since表示“自从”时,不管它是用作介词、连词还是副词,它通常都要与现在完成时连用。如:

I’ve worn glasses since my childhood. 我从小就戴眼镜。

The works have been closed since January. 一月份以来这些厂就关闭了。

He’s put on a lot of weight since he gave up smoking. 他戒烟后体重增加了许多。

Nothing has happened since. 从那以后未发生什么事。

She moved to London last May and has since got a job on a newspaper. 她去年五月到伦敦 此后一直在报社工作。

有时连用现在完成进行时。如:

He has been working since noon. 他从中午就开始工作了。

二、since搭配时态的特殊情况

虽然since通常要与现在完成时连用,但在以下情况,它也可以连用除完成时态以外的其他时态:

1. 当主句表示“多长时间”时,动词可用一般现在时(当然也可用现在完成时)。如:

It’s a long time since I met you last. 好久不见了。

It’s just a week since we arrived here. 我们到这里才一个星期。

It’s a long time since I met you last. 从上次见到你,已有很长时间了。

以上各句的it is也可换成 it has been,不过在口语或非正式文体中,用一般现在时的情形比较普遍。

2. 当主句谓语动词为seem等连系动词时。如:

It seems like years since we last met. 我们似乎几年未见面了。

It seems like years since I last saw you. 从上次见到你以来好像已经有许多年了。

3. 当主句和从句表示情况“变化”时。如:

She doesn’t come round to see us so much since her marriage. 自从结了婚,她不怎么过来看我们了。(原来经常来,结婚后就不怎么来了)

Since he went on that course he thinks he knows everything. 自从他选了那门课程,他就认为自己什么都懂了。(原来不认为自己什么都懂,但选了那门课程后就认为自己什么都懂了)