How to use the words "since" and "from"

[dharanija35]

I would like to know when we should use the word "Since" and the word "from"

Dharanija

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by dharanija35

I would like to know when we should use the word "Since" and the word "from"

Dharanija

since (sĭns)
adv.

1. From then until now or between then and now: They left town and haven't been here since.
2. Before now; ago: a name long since forgotten.
3. After some point in the past; at a subsequent time: My friend has since married and moved to California.

prep.

1. Continuously from: They have been friends since childhood.
2. Intermittently from: She's been skiing since childhood.

conj.

1. During the period subsequent to the time when: He hasn't been home since he graduated.
2. Continuously from the time when: They have been friends ever since they were in grade school.
3. Inasmuch as; because: Since you're not interested, I won't tell you about it.

from (frŭm, frŏm; frəm when unstressed)
prep.

1. 1. Used to indicate a specified place or time as a starting point: walked home from the station; from six o'clock on. See Usage Note at escape, whence.
   2. Used to indicate a specified point as the first of two limits: from grades four to six.
2. Used to indicate a source, cause, agent, or instrument: a note from the teacher; taking a book from the shelf.
3. Used to indicate separation, removal, or exclusion: keep someone from making a mistake; liberation from bondage.
4. Used to indicate differentiation: know right from wrong.
5. Because of: faint from hunger.

idiom:

from away Chiefly Maine.

1. Not native to a state or locality.

[Middle English, from Old English fram, forward, from.]


The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2004, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

[Humble]

Hi,
I may be wrong, but the problem for ESLs resides where they overlap:
since/from Monday, early morning, 2 o’clock etc. Are they sometimes interchangeable?
Tnx

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by Humble

Hi,
I may be wrong, but the problem for ESLs resides where they overlap:
since/from Monday, early morning, 2 o’clock etc. Are they sometimes interchangeable?
Tnx

If you say since Monday then you mean from Monday till now. If you want to talk about a specific time period say from Monday till Friday (for example)>

~R

[Humble]

Thanks, RonBee,
So since is alone and from goes together with till?

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by Humble

Thanks, RonBee,
So since is alone and from goes together with till?

Yep. We use since by itself, and from with till. Examples:

He's been working since dawn.
Farmers work from sunrise till sunset.

[Humble]

Thanks, RonBee.

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by Humble

Thanks, RonBee.

Now for more:

We also use "from" alone with a fixed point.

I am leaving two weeks from Monday.

[Humble]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by Humble

Thanks, I appreciate it.

You're welcome.