since从句的对应主句用过去完成进行时

问题描述

当 since 从句用一般过去时的时候，它对应的主句通常是用现在完成时或现在完成进行时的。如：
She has played the piano since she was a child. 她从下就弹钢琴。
I’ve loved you ever since I met you. 自从我见到你，我就一直爱你。
They’ve moved twice since they got married. 他们结婚后已搬了两次家。
They have been living in reduced circumstances since John lost his job. 约翰失业后，他们一直生活拮据。
但是，下面这个句子，摘自《牛津高阶》第6版的 since 词条：
She had been worrying ever since the letter arrived.
为什么主句用了过去完成进行时呢？

老师答疑

张老师：

当 since 从句用一般过去时的时候，主句通常是用现在完成时或现在完成进行时，此时since从句所涉及的情况一直持续到现在；但，当其所表达的情况不是持续到现在，而是持续到另一个较近的过去时间点时，主句就可以采用过去完成时或过去完成进行时。如：
1. It had been fifteen years since she left. 她离开已经15年了。（1991年人教版高中英语第一册p137）
2. She had shared responsibility for her brother since girlhood.  她还是个小姑娘的时候就分担起照顾弟弟的责任。(《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》)
因此《牛津高阶》第6版的 since 词条的例句是正确的：

She had been worrying ever since the letter arrived.

黎老师：

当 since 从句用一般过去时的时候，它对应的主句通常是用现在完成时或现在完成进行时，也可以用过去完成时。例如：

Since she came to me, we had been happy. ( C.P. Snow )自从她来到我这里，我们都很高兴。