Casiopea said:It is correct. Mind you, it's a transformation.
He started living in this flat two months ago.
Question: Since when did you start living in this flat?
Answer: Since two months ago.
=> 'two months ago' functions as an adverbial phrase. 'since' tells us it's connected in time to 'started living'.
We are looking at the architecture of the langauge, its mathematical code. Without the connection, though, the "context" 'started living', the sentence 'He started living in this flat *since two months ago', on it's own like that, is indeed semantically awkward. "for" is required in that enviornment, unless, that is, there is additional context to work from, which there was in this case, but was omitted.
Context is important. ;-)
I understand the logic of "since two months ago". "Two months ago" means the specific time. Whether this exam says it's right or wrong, it still sounds rather odd and unusual to me. I don't suspect I would hear it. It would not occur to me to say it. Maybe if I ask someone here, he/she will say "sure, why not", but I would have my doubts about it still. I don't think it's really the best way of expressing "since when".
If anyone really thinks it's "okay", then I have to ask: Why didn't anyone rewrite the sentence with "since...ago" as an answer to the original question? mm.... ?
I feel that the writers at this site would have included a "since...ago" example if it were really a possibility to them. http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentperfect.html
Here is an example at a site. I still don't feel comfortable with it. Maybe it's just me? Who knows?
I've been sick since three days ago
- specific past time: three days ago = Sunday (if this is Wednesday)
period of time: since three days ago = three days ago (Sunday) -> now http://www.iei.uiuc.edu/structure/structure1/time.html
- I agree with Paco and Pieanne: http://www.englishforums.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=99693
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