Mastering "Since Their First Encounter": A Simple Grammar Guide for ESL Learners

Have you ever struggled to talk about how long something has been happening, especially when it started at a specific point in the past? English has many phrases for this, and "since their first encounter" is one that often comes up in storytelling and describing ongoing relationships. This adverbial phrase helps to connect a past event to a present situation, showing a duration. Let's dive into how to use this phrase naturally and avoid common mistakes, boosting your fluency in English. Understanding this phrase will improve your sentence structure and allow you to express precise time relationships.

Table of Contents

• What Does “Since Their First Encounter” Mean?
• What Type of Adverbial Phrase Is “Since Their First Encounter”?
• Example Sentences with “Since Their First Encounter”
• When and How to Use “Since Their First Encounter”
• Summary and Practice Tip

What Does “Since Their First Encounter” Mean?

The phrase "since their first encounter" means from the time they first met or experienced something together, up to the present moment. It describes a period of time that began with an initial meeting or event and continues. It typically modifies a verb, indicating when an action or state started in the past and has continued.

More: Mastering 'Following the Ceremony': A Simple Grammar Guide

What Type of Adverbial Phrase Is “Since Their First Encounter”?

This is an adverbial phrase of time. It specifically tells us when an action or state began and has continued until now. It provides essential English grammar help for understanding time relationships.

Grammatical Structure

Let's break down its parts:

• "Since": This acts as a preposition here, introducing the time phrase.
• "Their": This is a possessive determiner. It can be replaced by "our," "his," "her," "my," or a proper noun's possessive form (e.g., "John's").
• "First": An adjective that specifies the initial nature of the encounter.
• "Encounter": A noun, meaning a meeting or a specific experience.

The entire phrase "their first encounter" functions as the object of the preposition "since," pinpointing the starting moment.

Position in Sentence

This adverbial phrase usually appears at the end of a sentence. While it's grammatically possible to place it at the beginning for emphasis, it's less common for this specific phrase. This helps maintain natural sentence use.

Sample Sentence Patterns

• Subject + Verb (in present perfect or present perfect continuous) + since their first encounter
• Since their first encounter, Subject + Verb (less common, but possible for emphasis)

More: Mastering 'in the days that followed': A Grammar Guide

Example Sentences with “Since Their First Encounter”

Here are some sentence examples to show how to use adverbial phrases like this in context:

• They have been inseparable since their first encounter at the conference.
• The project team has collaborated effectively since their first encounter last spring.
• Her interest in environmental issues grew exponentially since her first encounter with ocean pollution.

Short Dialogues

• Person A: Has Emily changed much?

• Person B: No, her passion for art has only grown stronger since her first encounter with abstract painting.

• Person A: It seems like Sarah and Tom have known each other forever.

• Person B: They've shared a strong bond since their first encounter in high school.

More: Mastering 'Since the Beginning': A Simple Grammar Guide for ESL Learners

When and How to Use “Since Their First Encounter”

Typical Use Cases

This phrase is frequently used when discussing relationships, friendships, partnerships, or any ongoing connection that started at a specific initial meeting. It's suitable for both formal and informal situations, whether you're writing an email, telling a story, or having a casual conversation. It's a key part of how to use adverbial phrases of time.

It strongly implies the use of the present perfect or present perfect continuous tense. This is because it connects a past starting point to a present situation or action that continues. For example, you wouldn't typically say "They loved each other since their first encounter" (simple past), but rather "They have loved each other since their first encounter" (present perfect). This is a common mistake ESL learners make when trying to learn English grammar.

Common Variations or Related Phrases

• "Since we first met"
• "Since the day they arrived"
• "Since then"
• "Since that moment"

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

• Incorrect verb tense: Always use the present perfect or present perfect continuous tense with "since" phrases that connect a past point to the present. Avoid simple past. According to Cambridge Dictionary, "since" is often used with the present perfect or past perfect tense to show a period of time from a past event until now or until another past point.
• Missing article/determiner: Ensure you have "their," "our," "his," "her," or another appropriate determiner (like a possessive noun) before "first encounter." Saying "since first encounter" is incorrect.
• Word order: While adverbial phrases can be flexible, placing "since their first encounter" at the end of the sentence is most natural and common.

Summary and Practice Tip

The adverbial phrase "since their first encounter" is a valuable tool for expressing duration from a specific past meeting or event. It functions as an adverbial phrase of time, typically used with present perfect tenses to describe ongoing situations. Remembering its structure and common usage patterns will help you express precise time relationships in English and improve your overall fluency.

To master "since their first encounter," try writing three sentences about people or things you know that have had an ongoing relationship or characteristic from a specific starting point. Think about your favorite band, a long-term friendship, or even the development of a skill. Share your sentences with a friend or a teacher! Or, explore other articles on English grammar help to build your fluency and understand more verb modifiers.