Since vs. Till

Attribute	Since	Till
Definition	From a specific point in time	Up to a specific point in time
Usage	Used to indicate the starting point of a period	Used to indicate the ending point of a period
Duration	Indicates the beginning of a period	Indicates the end of a period
Direction	Forward in time	Backward in time

Definition

Since and till are both prepositions that are used to indicate a specific point in time. Since is used to refer to the starting point of a time period, while till is used to refer to the ending point of a time period. Both words are commonly used in English to talk about durations, deadlines, and events.

Usage

Since is typically used to indicate the beginning of a time period. For example, "I have been working here since 2010." In this sentence, since is used to show when the person started working at the company. On the other hand, till is used to indicate the end of a time period. For example, "The store is open from 9 am till 5 pm." In this sentence, till is used to show when the store closes.

Duration

Since is often used to talk about how long something has been happening. For example, "I have been waiting for you since 3 o'clock." In this sentence, since is used to show the duration of time the person has been waiting. Till, on the other hand, is used to talk about how long something will continue. For example, "The sale is on till the end of the month." In this sentence, till is used to show the duration of time the sale will last.

Connection to Present

Since is often used to connect a past event to the present. For example, "I have been studying French since I was in high school." In this sentence, since is used to show the connection between the past event of studying French in high school and the present. Till, on the other hand, is used to connect a future event to the present. For example, "I will be on vacation till next Monday." In this sentence, till is used to show the connection between the present and the future vacation.

Formality

Since is considered more formal than till in many cases. Since is often used in academic writing, professional settings, and formal speeches. Till, on the other hand, is considered more casual and is often used in everyday conversation. For example, "I have been working on this project since last month" is more formal than "The store is open till 5 pm."

Overlap

While since and till are often used to indicate different points in time, there are cases where they can overlap in meaning. For example, "I have been waiting for you since 3 o'clock" and "I will wait for you till 3 o'clock" can both be used to indicate the same duration of time. In these cases, since and till can be used interchangeably without changing the overall meaning of the sentence.

Conclusion

In conclusion, since and till are both prepositions that are used to indicate specific points in time. Since is used to refer to the beginning of a time period, while till is used to refer to the end of a time period. While since is often used to connect past events to the present and is considered more formal, till is used to connect future events to the present and is considered more casual. Despite their differences, since and till can sometimes overlap in meaning and be used interchangeably in certain contexts.