(B) Since... + verb = "Because  "If you want your readers to think that since means because
    instead of')rrom the time of..", your dependent clause needs both since and a verb (i.e., before
    the comma): for example, "Since June is warm, we..." or "Since you have only 200 words,
    limit your...."
(C) Examples. Both of the following examples are OK because the third word gives a clue to the
    intended meaning.
Since September is the first month of autumn, school begins in September in many
countries. (Putting "since" plus the verb "is" in the opening clause tells the reader that
you mean "because September...".)
Since September of last year, we've seen a 10% increase in grain prices. (With "since"
and a time phrase [of last year] in the opening clause, plus "we have seen" [perfect
tense] after the comma, your reader knows you mean '~om the time of September...".
Note: "Ever since September..." sounds too informal in this sentence.)
Now consider the following examples and notice the extra clues provided to clarify the
meaning.
Unclear: Since she retired she has plenty of free time. (This is unclear because many
English-leamers choose the wrong verb tense or forget to add commas; I wonder if this
means "Since the time she retired" or "Because she retired.")
Clear: Ever since she retired, she has had plenty of free time. (Ever since and the
perfect-tense verb has had give us clues that this means "from the time that she
retired...")
Clear: Since she is retired, she now has plenty of free time. (Adding a comma, putting is
before the comma, and adding now help us see that this since means because.)
Clear: She has plenty of free time because she retired. (or "...because she is retired.")
(When choosing between since and because, remember that because always means
because, but since can have several meanings. We'll talk more about how to make this
choice in section G16d.)
G16b. Using as
     Readers expect "as..." to introduce related information or to give details about someone's role.
Using as to mean because is rare except in formal, legal writing. Also notice that "as..." is part of a
dependent clause so the phrase is set off with a comma ifit comes before the dependent clause.
(A) "As... + verb..." -- "At the same time that  "Sentences starting with "As... + verb..."
    commonly introduce time-related information (i.e., "while one thing happened, something else
    also happened").
    0 As I was leaving for the airport, an important call came that made me late. An important
        call came as ! was leaving for the airport that made me late. ("at the same time that I was
        leaving, something happened")
    In each "As..." clause below, the verb provides a clue that you are presenting time information,
    so the reader will not assume that you mean because. This is important because many English-
    learners confuse readers by trying to make ''As..." mean because.
     As she retired, Mary decided to start a new hobby. ("at the time that she retired, she did
        something")
     As the term started, upperclassmen sold used books to underclassmen. ("at the time that the
        semester began, something happened")
     As his master called, the dog came running. ("the dog ran when/while his master called")
(B) "As a..."= "While acting in this role  "The phrase "as + an article..." gives your reader
    information about how you are comparing two things by specifying the role someone or
    something has (i.e., "while acting in this role, something happened").
     As a lawyer, Molly spends a lot of time in court. Molly spends a lot of time in court as a
       lawyer. (Molly is a lawyer whose job makes her spend time in court.)
    Notice that you usually need an indefinite article in such sentences, with three exceptions: (1)
    your subject is plural (and thus doesn't need an article), (2) when referring to a formal role or

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