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.
