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I was told that when I use "since" I have to use the perfect tense in the main clause for instance

  1. I haven't visited her since yesterday

Not

  1. I'm not visiting her since yesterday

Yet I found these examples

  1. You're looking much better since your operation.
  2. She doesn't come round to see us so much since her marriage.
  3. Since last Sunday I can't stop thinking about you.
  4. Things weren't going so well since Father's illness.

Why are 3, 4, 5 and 6 correct? When I don't have to use perfect in the main clause with "since"?

One person says that this sentence "I'm here since Monday" is wrong that I need perfect. On the other hand, here Andrew accepts present continuous "since" and the tense in the main clause. What's more here Can I use "since" in past simple sentences?
@Jay says it's wrong if we don't mean "because" but in the previous link, @Andrew accepts present simple and "I didn't see him in Malta since I moved there from Egypt." moved to the present is "I don't see him in Malta since I moved there from Egypt."

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    "I was told that when I use "since" I have to use the perfect tense in the main clause for instance" Who told you that? Also, why don't you go and look up use of since before posting?
    – Lambie
    Commented Jun 23 at 17:13
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    @Lambie. I did. Many sited claim that and online teachers too.
    – Gregor
    Commented Jun 23 at 17:15
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    dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/since Obviously not good ones.
    – Lambie
    Commented Jun 23 at 17:16
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    @Gregor, you keep saying you have done research, but I have not yet seen any evidence of that in the wording of the OP. If you read a sentence that you don't understand, quote it, and give us the reference so we can look it up. If an online teaching guide is confusing you, the same: quote it, and link it. You will find that you get much more help if you do this.
    – Peter Kirkpatrick
    Commented Jun 23 at 19:57
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    +1 I'm going to give you an upvote, probably my first since I began reading your questions! This shows some research, and the examples explain why you are confused.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Commented Jun 23 at 21:04

1 Answer 1

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The present perfect tense is used for actions that have (or haven't) been performed since a certain time.

I have been to London twice since Christmas.

I have not visited her since yesterday.

I have not eaten since breakfast.

Other tenses can be used for situations which have been ongoing or habitual since a certain time.

She is looking (or looks) better since her operation.

She doesn't visit us so much since her marriage. (habitual)

I feel happier since our talk last week.

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