How to Express Starting an Activity From a Specific Year or Season

datessentence-constructiontimetime-words

I would like to say that something starts at the particular moment, e.g. year or season. How should I pose it? For instance.

I watched movies alone before, but starting from this winter, I plan
to attend a cinema club.

He always was a lazy couch potato, but since this month, he decided to
go to a local gym for some reason.

She didn't pay much attention to him before, but from the last Friday,
she became more and more curios about his personality.

Best Answer

Your first sentence is nearly correct. All you need to do is drop the from. The word starting already implies from.

I used to watch movies alone but starting this winter I plan to attend a cinema club.

Your second sentence will be understood but probably is not the best way to phrase it. Since best refers to things that happened in the past. We cannot say since tomorrow or since next winter but we can say since yesterday and since last winter.

Using since for present can be understood, native speakers sometimes use it that way, but it is not a correct usage.

Using since correctly for a past start --

He is a lazy couch potato but since last month he has been going to a gym.

Using since for the present (sounds awkward) --

He is a lazy couch potato but since this month he has been going to a gym.

Keep in mind the multiple definitions of since. It can also be used to explain a person's motives. The following usage has nothing to do with a time frame although it looks and sounds very similar to your sentence.

He is a lazy couch potato but since this month is World Exercise Month, he is at the gym doing reps.

Using starting for the present --

He is a lazy couch potato but starting this month he has been going to a gym.

Using starting for the past --

He is a lazy couch potato but starting last month he has been going to a gym.

Using starting for the future --

He is a lazy couch potato but starting next month he will be going to a gym.

Since your last sentence occurs in the past you can use either since or starting -- just be sure to the drop the word from and you do not need an article (no the or a).

...since last Friday. ...starting last Friday.

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