since从句的用法(2)

　　4. 在it is+时间+since从句结构中，since从句是非延续性动词的一般过去时，含有肯定意味。

　　例如：

　　It is three years since her husband left her.

　　她丈夫离开她已经3年了。

　　It is over sixty years since the People’s Republic of China was established.

　　中华人民共和国已经成立60多年了。

　　5. 在it is+时间+since从句结构中，since从句是延续性动词的一般过去时，含有否定的意味。

　　例如：

　　It is three years since she stayed here.

　　她离开这里已经3年了。

　　How long is it since you were a league member?

　　你退团有多久了?

　　6. 在it is+时间+since从句结构中，since从句是现在完成时或过去完成时，均含有否定意味。

　　例如：

　　It is five years since we have seen her.

　　我们已经5年没有见她了。

　　It was years since I had seen her.

　　在那之前，我已经有好久没有见到她了。

　　It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.

　　我已经很久没有见到你了。

　　另外，①根据英语惯用法，since从句不可以否定形式出现。

　　例如：

　　It is four years since I have smoked a cigarette. 我已经4年不抽烟了。

　　不可说：It is four years since I haven’t smoked a cigarette.

　　但由于下句中的since不作“自从”解，所以从句可以用否定形式。

　　例如：

　　I haven’t been out anywhere since I don’t know how long.

　　也不知多久了，我哪儿也没去过。

　　②Since从句通常不与非延续性动词的现在完成时的肯定式连用。

　　例如：

　　Her mother died when she was a child.

　　她小时候母亲就去世了。

　　不可说：Her mother has died since she was a child.

　　③Since前不可加表示时间的词语，但可以与ago连用。

　　例如：

　　She has lived with us since her mother died three years ago.

　　自从她母亲3年前去世，她就一直和我们住在一起。

　　不可说：She has lived with us three years since her mother died.

　　④在It was five years ago since his father died. 一句中的since用错了，因为在含有ago的时间范畴里，已经有了从过去的一个时间点以来的时间，即已有了since的时间范畴，所以再用since是多余的。

　　改为：

　　It was five years ago that his father died.

　　他父亲5年前去世了。

　　It is five years since his father died.

　　他父亲去世已经5年了。