“Since” refers to a specific point in time or duration, indicating the beginning of an action or state. On the other hand, “sense” refers to perception or understanding derived from one’s faculties, related to intuition or awareness of surroundings.
Key Takeaways
- “Since” refers to the time when an event occurred, while “sense” means to perceive something through the senses.
- “Since” is used in the context of time, indicating when something began or happened, while “sense” relates to the ability to perceive things.
- “Since” is used in conjunction with a verb, while “sense” is a noun that refers to one of the five senses of the body.
Since vs. Sense
“Since” indicates a time frame, about a past event, point in time, or cause-and-effect relationship. Sense is the ability to perceive or understand information through one’s senses, such as sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. It can also refer to a meaning or interpretation.
The term ‘since’ as a preposition is defined as the intervening period between the time mentioned and the present time. As an adverb, it means the period between then and now.
And lastly, as a conjunction, it means from a time in the past until the time under consideration. For example- “I haven’t spoken to my brother since last year.”
The term ‘sense’ as a noun is defined as a faculty by which the body perceives an external stimulus, one of the faculties of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch.
And, as a verb, it is defined as perceiving or detecting by a tool of sense or senses. For example- “I can sense the change in her behavior lately.”
Comparison Table
| Feature | Since | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Part of Speech | Preposition, Conjunction (sometimes Adverb) | Noun, Verb |
| Meaning | Refers to a point in time or reason, marking the beginning of a duration | Refers to the ability to perceive or understand something, or the meaning of something |
| Example Sentences (Preposition) | * She has been living in Paris since 2020. * Since you’re finished, can you help me? | * I have a good sense of humor. * The word “run” has multiple senses. |
| Example Sentences (Conjunction) | Since it’s raining, I’ll bring an umbrella. (Introduces a reason) | N/A |
| Example Sentences (Adverb) | I haven’t seen him since. (Emphasizes the passage of time) | N/A |
| Tenses Used With | Used with past and present perfect tenses | Used with all tenses |
What is Since?
“Since” is a versatile English word that serves various purposes within language, primarily as a preposition or a conjunction. Its usage can denote several concepts related to time, causality, and reasoning.
Temporal Reference
As a preposition, “since” primarily denotes a specific point in time or duration, indicating the beginning of an action, event, or state. It establishes a temporal relationship between two points in time, emphasizing the duration between them.
Time Interval
When used to express a duration, “since” specifies the period from a particular past moment up to the present or another specified point in time. This usage commonly appears in contexts discussing how long a situation has persisted or when an event began.
Causal Relationship
In some contexts, “since” functions as a conjunction, linking two clauses to indicate causality or reason. It suggests that the occurrence of one event or situation is the result or consequence of another, thereby establishing a causal relationship between them.
Additional Nuances
The word “since” can also carry additional nuances depending on the context in which it is used, such as indicating continuity, progression, or change over time. Its precise meaning and interpretation rely on surrounding linguistic and situational cues.
What is Sense?
The term “sense” encompasses a range of meanings, primarily referring to faculties of perception, understanding, or awareness possessed by living beings. In English, it serves as both a noun and a verb, expressing various concepts related to cognition and sensory perception.
Perception and Understanding
As a noun, “sense” denotes the ability to perceive stimuli from the environment through sensory organs such as sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. It also encompasses the interpretation and comprehension of these sensory inputs, allowing individuals to understand and interact with their surroundings.
Intuition and Instinct
Beyond sensory perception, “sense” can also refer to intuitive or instinctive understanding, described as a “gut feeling” or innate knowledge without conscious reasoning. This aspect of sense involves subconscious processes that guide decision-making and behavior based on subtle cues and past experiences.
Rational and Logical Thinking
In a broader sense, “sense” encompasses rational and logical thinking, including the ability to analyze information, make judgments, and draw conclusions. It involves cognitive processes such as reasoning, deduction, and inference, enabling individuals to comprehend complex concepts and solve problems.
Additional Nuances
The term “sense” carries various connotations depending on the context in which it is used. It can denote common sense, moral sensibility, or a particular meaning or interpretation of a word or phrase. Additionally, “sense” may refer to a feeling of meaning or significance, as in the phrase “make sense,” indicating coherence or understanding.
Main Differences Between Since and Sense
- Usage:
- “Since” primarily functions as a preposition or conjunction to denote time, causality, or reasoning.
- “Sense” serves as a noun or a verb, referring to faculties of perception, understanding, or awareness.
- Meaning:
- “Since” pertains to temporal relationships, indicating the beginning of an action, event, or state, or establishing a causal connection between events.
- “Sense” encompasses cognitive processes of perception, intuition, rational thinking, and comprehension of sensory inputs.
- Temporal vs. Cognitive:
- “Since” deals with time-related concepts, indicating duration, starting points, or causality between events.
- “Sense” focuses on cognitive functions, including perception, intuition, logical reasoning, and understanding of the environment.
- Examples:
- Example of “since”: “She has been studying English since she was a child.”
- Example of “sense”: “His sense of smell alerted him to the gas leak.”
- Context:
- “Since” is commonly used in discussions of time, history, causality, or reasoning.
- “Sense” is prevalent in contexts involving perception, cognition, intuition, or understanding of the world.
- https://www.aclweb.org/anthology/H92-1045.pdf
- http://www.sophia-project.org/uploads/1/3/9/5/13955288/moore_commonsense.pdf
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=DSpGAQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=+Since+english&ots=KrWYjly_pp&sig=97LDG_1urZTYlyDPB3JtoyTMSVs
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