Unit 4: EVER

Unit 4:  Ever

definite and indefinite Times in the Past

Definite Past Time: Definite past time expressions tell you exactly when: yesterday, three days ago, last year, last Saturday, at 7:00 this morning. These sentences need past tense verbs.

       Example: He went to France last year.  Did he go to France last year? 

Indefinite Past Time: Some sentences don't state a specific (具体, 明确, 准确, определённый, то́чный) time in the past. They don’t say exactly when. The time is indefinite.

       Example: I've been to France.  Have you ever been to France?

ever (曾经, 从来, alguna vez, когда-либо, когда-нибудь, في أي وقت)

You can use present perfect with ever to ask a question about something that has happened at an indefinite (not stated or not specific) time in the past. If the verb is in present perfect, we understand that the time is in your whole life, since…, or …before, even if you don’t say it.

5.    Have you ever had a migraine* headache? (An indefinite time in the past. No definite time is mentioned, so we understand in your whole life. Your life is not finished. You are still living.) 

       * 偏头痛, jaqueca, migraña, мигрень, صداع نصفي  

       But: I had a migraine when I woke up this morning. (a definite time in the past)

6.    Have you ever met the president of the company? (An indefinite time in the past; we don’t say exactly when. The time might be since you started working here or in your whole life.

       But: I met the president of the company last week. (a definite time in the past)

7.    I’ve never read that book before. (An indefinite time. We understand in my whole life.)

       But: I never read that book when I was in high school. (a definite time in the past)

8.    Have you ever gotten an A+ on one of Mr. Trego’s tests? (An indefinite time in the past. We understand Have you ever gotten an A+ on one of Mr. Trego's tests since you began his class?)

       But: I got an A+ on the test last Friday. (a definite time in the past)

More Examples

In each pair, a uses present perfect with an indefinite time and b uses simple past with a definite time:

9.       a.    Have you ever visited L.A. before? (We understand: in your whole life)

          b.    Did you ever visit L.A. when you lived in San Diego? (We state a definite past time.)

10.     a.    Has she ever turned in her homework late? (We understand: since she started taking your class. She’s still taking your class.)

          b.    Did she ever turn in her homework late when she was in your class? (She’s not in your class anymore.)  Yes, she turned it in late several times.

11.     a.    Have you ever been in an earthquake? (in your whole life, before)

          b.    Were you here in the 1989 earthquake?  (a definite past time: 1989)

Watch out!  Present perfect questions and statements cannot contain definite past time expressions (for example, last year, yesterday, three days ago).

12.  Wrong:   I haven’t visited New York last year.

13.  Wrong:   Has she spoken to him about it last week?

ASKING AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS WITH EVER

14.  When someone asks you a question in present perfect, use present perfect to answer no:

a.    Have you ever taken the TOEFL test before? (before = in your whole life)

b.    No, I haven’t. (=No, I haven’t ever taken it before.) or

       No, I never have. (=No, I’ve never taken it before.)

Never = not ever: I have never gone there. = I haven’t ever gone there.

If you answer yes, use present perfect in the first part of your answer:

15.  a.    Have you ever been to Los Angeles? (before, in your whole life) 

b.    Yes, I have. (=I’ve been to L.A. before, at some time in my life)

In the second part of your answer, you can change to past tense to discuss a specific time in the past. Here, you should include a definite past time expression (for example, yesterday, last year, five months ago, when I lived/worked in Peru, when I was in high school, or before I came here).

16.  a.    Have you ever studied Russian before?

       b.    Yes, I have. I studied it in high school. (definite past time expression: in high school. I’m not in high school anymore.)

17.  a.    Have you ever been to Los Angeles?

       b.    Yes, I have. I went there with my parents two years ago. (definite past time: 2 years ago)          

18.  a.    Have you ever taken piano lessons before?

       b.    Yes, I have. I took them when I was in high school. (definite past time: high school)

have been and have gone

Only in present perfect, have been can mean have gone when a destination (终点, destino, ме́сто назначе́ния, وجهة) comes after it:

19.  Has she ever been to Cuba? = Has she ever gone to Cuba?  

Watch out! You cannot switch these verbs in other tenses:

20.  Wrong:  I was to Canada three times last year.         Right:    I went to Canada three times last year.

21.  Wrong:  I am to Cuba twice a year.                           Right:  I go to Cuba twice a year.