What is the Present Perfect with Ever and Never?

The present perfect tense helps us talk about actions or experiences that happened at an unspecified time before now. We don’t say exactly when.

When we use ever and never, we are specifically talking about experiences across a person’s entire life, up to the present moment.

• Use ever for questions. It means ‘at any time in your life’.
• Use never for negative statements. It means ‘zero times in your life’.

How Do We Ask About Experiences with "Ever"?

To ask if someone has had an experience at any point in their life, we use ever.

• The structure is: Have / Has + subject + ever + past participle + ...?
• The past participle is the third form of a verb (e.g., go - went - gone, eat - ate - eaten).

Look at these examples:

• Have you ever seen a ghost? (Did you see a ghost at any time in your life?)
• Has she ever flown in an airplane? (Did she fly in an airplane at any time in her life?)

How Do We Talk About No Experiences with "Never"?

To say that you have not had an experience, not even once, we use never. We use never in an affirmative sentence structure, but it makes the meaning negative.

• The structure is: Subject + have / has + never + past participle + ...

Here are some examples:

• I have never visited Japan. (I have not visited Japan at any time in my life.)
• He has never eaten spicy food. (He has not eaten spicy food, not even once.)
• They have never played chess. (They have not played chess in their lives.)

How Do We Give Short Answers?

When someone asks a present perfect question with ever, you can give a short answer.

• For 'yes' answers: Yes, I have. / Yes, he has. / Yes, they have.
• For 'no' answers: No, I haven't. / No, she hasn't. / No, we haven't.

You can also use never in a short answer to emphasize 'no experience':

• Have you ever been to Paris? No, I've never been.
• Has he ever tried surfing? No, he's never tried it.

Examples

• Have you ever ridden a horse?
• She has never seen snow.
• Has he ever met a famous person?
• We have never forgotten our passports.
• They have never tried skydiving.

Practice

Common mistakes for Spanish speakers

Using "never" with "not"

A common mistake for Spanish speakers is to use not with never, like in Spanish. In English, never already means 'not ever', so you don't need not.

• I haven't never eaten sushi. (Incorrect)
• I have never eaten sushi. (Correct)

Using Simple Past for Life Experiences

Sometimes learners use the simple past instead of the present perfect for general life experiences. Remember, if you don't say a specific time, use present perfect.

• Did you ever go to New York? (Incorrect for general life experience)
• Have you ever been to New York? (Correct)

Frequently asked questions

What does 'ever' mean in the present perfect?

Ever means 'at any time in your life' up to the present moment. We use it in questions to ask about past experiences.

What does 'never' mean in the present perfect?

Never means 'zero times in your life' or 'not at any time'. We use it in affirmative sentences to make the meaning negative.

Where do 'ever' and 'never' go in a sentence?

Both ever and never go between have/has and the past participle. For example: Have you ever tried it? or I have never tried it.

Can I use 'never' with 'not'?

No, you cannot use never with not. Never already has a negative meaning. Saying I haven't never is a double negative and incorrect in English.