since a day

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "since a day" is not correct and is not commonly used in written English.
It is typically intended to express a duration of time but is awkwardly phrased. A more standard expression would be "for a day" or "since yesterday." Example: "I have been feeling unwell since a day."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

'SPEND AND SPENDemocratsats have been acutely sensitive to the "big spender" charge ever since a day at New York's Empire City Race Track in August 1938.

The New York Times - Magazine

The advance itinerary was misleading since a "day" in port, we discovered, began as late as 9 a.m. and ended at about 3 30 p.m. leaving us a scant hour or two to explore.

The New York Times - Travel

"We don't see this as a trade-off," said Bob Oddy, head of the black-cab drivers' organization, since a day driver would be forced to take someone 12 miles but won't get the benefit of the higher fares.

The New York Times - Travel

I hardly remembered this is the Sabbath, since a day doesn't pass I don't pray for the Lord to have mercy on these men.

Huffington Post

Ever since, a day off has been as foreign a concept to him as the disabled list.

The New York Times - Sports

Upamanyu Raju, 21, a student at Delhi University, said he has been attending protests since a day after the rape victim was admitted to the hospital because of the "utter atrocity of what happened".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

But since a Sunday tabloid outed him seven years ago, his life has become a series of unimaginable surprises.

The Guardian

She may have some residual suspicion of journalists since a Sunday Times interview last year branded the family "chaotic".

The Guardian

FINISH LINES RICHARD MIGLIORE rode Thursday for the first time since a Sunday spill and won the fourth race on Mike's Thunder.

The New York Times - Sports

The 80-foot-long (24-meter-long) whale, about twice the size of a school bus, has not been spotted since a day-long attempt on Monday evening to free the marine mammal from its potentially lethal entanglement in the waters off Dana Point, about 65 miles (105 km) north of San Diego.

Huffington Post

Garry L. Hoffman, a Little Rock public relations executive, has been staying with his mother since Wednesday night, a day after electricity in his home disappeared.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "since a day" in formal writing. Instead, opt for more precise and grammatically correct alternatives such as "since yesterday" or "for the past day".

Common error

Don't use "since" to indicate duration; "since" marks a starting point. Instead of saying "since a day", which is grammatically awkward, use "for a day" to indicate a period of time, or "since yesterday" to indicate the start of the period.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "since a day" functions as an adverbial phrase indicating a point in time from which something has occurred. However, as Ludwig AI points out, it is not the most grammatically sound construction and is often replaced with more precise alternatives such as "since yesterday."

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "since a day" appears in various contexts, including news and media, it is considered grammatically "incorrect" and awkward by Ludwig AI. More precise alternatives such as "since yesterday" or "for a day" are preferred for clarity and grammatical correctness. While you might encounter "since a day", especially in informal contexts, it's advisable to opt for the alternatives to ensure effective communication in both formal and informal scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

since yesterday

Substitutes "a day" with the specific day "yesterday".

since the previous day

Replaces "a day" with "the previous day" for more precise reference.

from one day ago

Expresses the duration using "ago" to indicate time passed.

for the past day

Uses "for the past day" to specify the duration of time.

in the last 24 hours

Specifies the duration using a precise timeframe of 24 hours.

since 24 hours ago

Similar to 'from one day ago', but more precise.

since this time yesterday

Gives a point-to-point time comparison, useful in time-sensitive contexts.

since one day has elapsed

This expression replaces "a day" with the more formal "one day has elapsed".

within a day's time

Focuses on the span of time within a single day.

beginning a day prior

Indicates the starting point as one day earlier.

FAQs

What is a more grammatically correct way to say "since a day"?

Instead of "since a day", use "since yesterday" or "for a day" depending on whether you want to specify the starting point or the duration.

When should I use 'since' versus 'for' when referring to time?

"Since" indicates the starting point of an action or state, while "for" indicates the duration. For example, "I have been working since 9 AM" (starting point) versus "I have been working "for 5 hours"" (duration).

Is "since a day ago" a correct phrase?

While understandable, "since a day ago" is redundant. It's better to use "since yesterday" or "a day ago" for clarity and grammatical correctness.

What are some formal alternatives to "since a day"?

For formal contexts, consider using phrases like "since the previous day" or "from one day prior" to maintain precision and grammatical accuracy.