(自)……以来 for “Since” and 由……组成 for “Made Up Of”
Use (自从)……以来 to talk about a period from a past point until now, and 由……组成 to say what something is made up of.
Pattern
(自 / 自从) + past time or event + 以来; whole + 由 + parts + 组成
以来 looks back from now to a starting point; 由 points to the parts and 组成 puts them together.
自从上大学以来，我一直住在学校里。
When to use (自)……以来 for “Since” and 由……组成 for “Made Up Of”
以来 goes after a past time or event and covers the whole period from then until now: 毕业以来 “since graduating”. The start is often opened by 自从, or by 自 in more formal writing, and the main clause describes the whole period, often with 一直 or 都. 由……组成 says what a whole consists of: put the whole first, then 由 + the parts + 组成: 这本书由十个故事组成.
自去年以来，这里的房子越来越贵。
Since last year, housing here has been getting more and more expensive.
这本书由十个故事组成。
This book is made up of ten stories.
我们班的篮球队由八个学生组成。
Our class basketball team is made up of eight students.
来中国以来，我交了很多朋友。
I’ve made lots of friends since coming to China.
Common traps
- 以来 needs a period that lasts until now: 毕业以后他去了上海, not 毕业以来他去了上海.
- Don’t put 以来 after a future time: 下个月以后, not 下个月以来.
- Put the whole before 由 and the parts after it: 这本书由十个故事组成, not 十个故事由这本书组成.
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