Hi Hela
.
As others have also pointed out, there are some cases where the present perfect would simply be wrong and the simple present tense is correct. Therefore, the use of simple present tense would also be correct in formal/written English. The trick is to know
when the simple present tense is needed; most of the time the present perfect would be the preferred tense. I have never run into any "prescriptive" grammar rules regarding this particular usage of the
present tense + since. (Maybe that's because it's too hard to explain.
)
.
Note the differences:
-
He weighs less since he started jogging. (Stative verb refers to a
new state
now)
-
He has lost a lot of weight since he started jogging. (A usual tense format; verb is not stative and losing weight may or may not be finished.)
-
He has been losing weight since he started jogging. (A usual tense format; verb is not stative and the weight loss is viewed as a continuing activity.)
.
These two sentences provide slightly different information:
-
She no longer visits since she got married. (
New habit
now.
Since only tells you when the change in habit took place.)
-
She hasn't visited since she got married. (No indication of any previous habitual activity or a noticeable change in habit)
.