Please correct me if I say something dumb: My understanding is that "because" is a conjunction setting forth a cause-and-effect relationship, as in: "I flunked because I didn't study." -- or -- "Because I didn't study, I flunked." ... and "since" is an adverb setting out a time frame: "I haven't studied since January." "Since I got married I haven't had any fun." I've always been corrected when I use constructions like: "Since you're finished, we should leave now." I had at least one instructor who took great joy in x-ing out "since" and replacing it with "because." HOWEVER (isn't there always a however?), in drawing up a lesson plan, I came across a citation in Webster's New World Dictionary, Warner Books Paperback Edition of 1990, that lists "because" as a definition of "since." And now that I think about it, I see it used everywhere -- textbooks, scholarly papers, literary criticism. What can I tell my students? Is there any consensus out there? Thanks. _______________________________________________ Brenda S. Campbell Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks, P.C. 600 Atlantic Ave. Boston, MA 02210 (617) 720-3500 (voice) (617) 720-2441 (fax) _______________________________________________