[Grammar] SINCE or FROM?

[The apprentice]

Dear teachers and members:


I would like to know if SINCE can be used with TODAY as in the following sentence.

1°) I have been playing football since today.

2°) Since today, I have been playing football.

I think that SINCE as preposition cannot be used with TODAY, I think that in these cases FROM may be used.


I ask for your help and assistance in this matter

 

[5jj]

Neither is very natural to me. In a sitation like this, I'd be far more likely to say something like "I started playing football only today" or "This is my first day of playing football".

 

[The apprentice]

Thank you 5jj:


Is is possible to use SINCE with TODAY?

 

[5jj]

I can't think of a likely situation for this, as 'since' is followed by the past time at which a situation extending to the present started.

 

[The apprentice]

I totally agree with you 5jj, by the way, what does 5JJ mean?, ha, haa, haaa.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Perhaps he has 4 older brothers named jj. :lol:

 

[5jj]

what does 5JJ mean?

It's an abbreviated form of my original username, fivejedjon, which is made up of three names by which I am known in that weird world that appears to exist outside my office.

 

[Rover_KE]

Is it possible to use 'since' with 'today'?

No, but at 10am you can say 'I've had a headache since seven o'clock', and in the evening you can say 'I haven't eaten since this morning'.

 

[The apprentice]

Thank you Rover-KE, I think I got you.


SINCE means from a definite past time untill now, so it is not supposed to be used with a present time like TODAY.

a) From 7 o'clock to 10 a.m. has been a particular period of past time untill now (7 o'clock / 10:00 a.m.).

b) From the morning to the evening has been another past time untill now (the morning / the evening).

According to what I just learned, SINCE as well as TODAY must be used with PERFECT TENSES.

Very interesting your explanation.


*ANOTHER QUESTION TO ALL OF YOU:

Can FROM be used in the above case?

1°) I have been playing football from today.

Must be ON added to the above sentece?

2°) I have been playing football from today on.

 

[Rover_KE]

Can 'from' be used in the following sentence?

1) I have been playing football from today. No. It doesn't make sense.

Must [STRIKE]be[/STRIKE] 'on' be added to the following sentence?

2) I have been playing football from today on. that doesn't make sense either.

Please note that 1° is not used in English to number a sentence.

 

[5jj]

1) I have been playing football from today.

2) I have been playing football from today on.

I give a similar response as I gave to the earlier question: Neither is natural. In a sitation like this, I'd be far more likely to say something like "I started playing football only today" or "This is my first day of playing football".

The main point is that if you started an activity within a time period, you are very unlikely to say (whatever tense you use), that you have been doing it from or since that time period.

 

[The apprentice]

Rover_KE, how about this sentence?


1°) You won't play football from today on.

2°) From today on you won't play football.

 

[The apprentice]

Rover_KE, how about this sentence?


1°) You won't play football in my yard from today on.

2°) From today on, you won't play football in my yard.

 

[Barb_D]

Please drop the little circle after your numerals.

Those sentences are okay - you are talking about the future.

Here are some other examples that might help you.

Dr. Smith has been my family doctor since 1997, but she is retiring next month. I'll see Dr. Jones from then on. (As of today, Dr. Smith is still my doctor.)
Dr. Smith had been fmy family doctor since 1997, but she retired yesterday. From now on, I'll see Dr. Jones. (As of today, Dr. Smith is not my doctor.)