He was the CEO since 2004.

[Sibx]

Is it possible to use simple past and past continuous tenses in the main clause of a sentence with temporal since?

Eg.
He was the CEO since 2004.

He was going to bed early since the accident.

I've read through several discussions on different forums and come to the conclusion that simple present and present continuous are possible in the main clause if certain conditions are met; which are as follows:

1) The main clause has a time adverbial
Eg. It is ten years since I last saw her
2) The temporal since has a causative element to it
Eg. He is going to bed early since his accident
(could also be because he had that accident)
3) The sentence itself is biographical in nature
Eg. He is the CEO since 2004

All of the above are regarded as grammatically correct. (With simple or continuous tenses instead of perfect tenses as are usually used in the main clause)

This explanation had me wondering if simple past and past continuous are also allowable within the same contexts.

 

[Sibx]

Could someone please respond.

 

[5jj]

Could someone please respond.

That should end with a question mark.

 

[SoothingDave]

Is he still CEO?

If so, then you don't say he "was" CEO. If he became CEO in 2004 and is still CEO, then you write "He has been CEO since 2004."

If he is no longer CEO, then "since" is wrong. "He was CEO since 2004" could be said if he just stopped being CEO.

 

[Sibx]

Is he still CEO?

If so, then you don't say he "was" CEO. If he became CEO in 2004 and is still CEO, then you write "He has been CEO since 2004."

If he is no longer CEO, then "since" is wrong. "He was CEO since 2004" could be said if he just stopped being CEO.

 

[SoothingDave]

Read your first post. You say "he was CEO since..."

 

[jutfrank]

This explanation had me wondering if simple past and past continuous are also allowable within the same contexts.

One question to ask first is whether it's even possible to use 'since' for a time frame leading up to a point in past time. If I remember correctly from the last time we had this question, the users here disagree on this point.

 

[Sibx]

Read your first post. You say "he was CEO since..."

I shared the screenshot to show the example with the simple present tense, because it suggests simple present is okay here instead of present perfect.
My question is about, 'he was CEO since...' because I've been trying to understand if simple past could be okay too in this context.

 

[Sibx]

One question to ask first is whether it's even possible to use 'since' for a time frame leading up to a point in past time. If I remember correctly from the last time we had this question, the users here disagree on this point.

If I understand correctly, yes.
It had been a long time since...
It was years since...

 

[jutfrank]

1) The main clause has a time adverbial
Eg. It is ten years since I last saw her
2) The temporal since has a causative element to it
Eg. He is going to bed early since his accident
(could also be because he had that accident)
3) The sentence itself is biographical in nature
Eg. He is the CEO since 2004

All of the above are regarded as grammatically correct.

So who told you that these are all grammatically correct?

 

[Sibx]

So who told you that these are all grammatically correct?

Like I said in my original post, I came to this conclusion from various discussion forums and grammar reference sources.

 

[jutfrank]

Which grammar references and discussion forums are those? Including this forum? I'm not convinced there's a consensus on your assumptions in post #1.

If you could post a link to one or two of these sources, I think it would help things along.

 

[Sibx]

1) For time adverbial (one of several)

Since

Since - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary

dictionary.cambridge.org

2) For causative element

since + present simple

I know that we usually use the present perfect if we want to say that we have done something for a period of time up to now . For instance: "Since 2007, I've gone to Zakopane for the skiing every year. OR Since 2007, I've been going to Zakopane for the skiing every year." L. G. Alexander...

www.usingenglish.com

Please look at Raymott's last response. 5jj seems to be in agreement too.

3) For a biographical sentence

Present Simple with "since"

I have to do this task, choose which sentences could be completed with an adverbial expression and which are ungrammatical when an adverbial expression is added. What do you think, is it possible ...

ell.stackexchange.com

I shared a screenshot from this webpage earlier.

 

[SoothingDave]

I shared the screenshot to show the example with the simple present tense, because it suggests simple present is okay here instead of present perfect.
My question is about, 'he was CEO since...' because I've been trying to understand if simple past could be okay too in this context.

Simple present is acceptable, but the present perfect is more natural. It sounds a bit odd to say "he is CEO since 2004." "He has been" sounds better.

 

[Sibx]

I was breaking out in hives every day since November.
I started breaking out in hives every day since November.

Are these grammatical for the past?

 

[5jj]

No.

 

[Sibx]

Could you rephrase them so they are?

 

[5jj]

No.

You can start breaking out in hives only once.

 

[emsr2d2]

Respectfully 5jj your responses are so unhelpful you might as well not respond at all.
Those clipped, borderline sarcastic responses would be more suited to a different sort of forum perhaps.
Everyone comes here looking for help and guidance, no point taking over the thread if you're not going to be offering any of that.

Thanks.

We all encourage users to try and work out the correct wording themselves rather than just spoonfeeding them. My response to your post #17 would have been almost the same as 5jj's. I would have pointed out that you can only start something once so you need to work out what the appropriate tense would be.

 

[Tarheel]

I was breaking out in hives every day since November.
I started breaking out in hives every day since November.

How do think I would say it?

Please answer without responding with a lecture.