Have you ever ....?
We use the Present Perfect form (have + past participle) to talk about our experiences. We do not specify the time of the action(s).
- I have been to Florida. RIGHT
- I have been to Florida last year. WRONG
- I went to Florida last year. RIGHT
- He's worked for some of the top companies. RIGHT
- We've seen this film three or four times. RIGHT
- We saw this film three or four times. WRONG
- They've met the King of Spain. RIGHT
- They've met the King of Spain when he visited Cantabria. WRONG
- She's lived in a few different countries. RIGHT
- Have you eaten in this restaurant before? RIGHT
We can use "ever" in a question to ask about life experiences:
- Have you ever ridden a horse?
- Has she ever studied languages?
- Has anyone ever climbed that mountain?
- She's never been to the opera.
- They've never flown before.
- I have never played padel.
We can use the Present Perfect form to talk about the number of times we have had a particular experience:
- I have been to London many times.
- She's only driven on a motorway once before.
- This is the third time we have moved house.
Consider the following conversations:
- A: Have you ever travelled by AVE?
- B: No, never.
- A: Have you ever flown with Iberia?
- B: No, I haven't.
- A: Have you ever been on a long car journey?
- B: Yes, once I drove from Madrid to Rome.
- A: How long did it take?
- B: About 48 hours. We stayed one night in the south of France.
- C: Have you ever eaten frogs' legs?
- D: Yes, I have - a few times.
- C: Do you like them?
- D: They are OK. They taste a bit like chicken.
- E: Have you ever read a novel in English?
- F: Yes, I have.
- E: What one (did you read)?
- F: I read the first Harry Potter book.
- E: Did you like it?
- F: I preferred the film.
- G: Have you ever been to New York?
- H: Yes, I have.
- G: When did you go there?
- H: About 12 years ago.
- G: Did you visit the Empire States building?
- H: No, we didn't have time but we went up the Statue of Liberty.
- G: Have you ever been to London?
- H: Yes, I have been there three or four times.
- G: What all have you seen?
- H: We have seen most of the sights but we've never been up the London Eye.
- G: When did you last go there?
- H: Last summer. We found a cheap flight but we were only there for three days.
Notice in the above conversations; after a "yes" answer, we use the Past Simple to talk about a specific experience.
Now write similar conversations using some of the ideas below. If you give a "yes" answer, write further (logical) questions.
- stay in an expensive hotel
- go to Asia
- forget an important date
- wear a fancy dress costume
- see a film in English
- work for a big company
- win a competition
- appear on TV
- have a bad job interview
- send a text to the wrong person
- take the AVE
- meet a famous person
- eat something really strange
- write a letter of complaint
- get lost in a foreign city
- play a team sport
- drive a sportscar
- get a fine
- go to a gym
- miss a flight
- be given a present that you don't like
- buy something and never wear it
Comments
• Have you ever stayed in an expensive hotel?
• Yes, I have.
• Where did you stay?
• I stayed in a five star hotel in Salamanca.
•
• Have you ever been to Asia.
• No, I’ve never been there.
•
• Have you ever forgotten an important date.
• Yes, I have.
• What date did you forget?
• I forgot an appointment with the dentist.
•
• Have you ever worn a fancy dress costume?
• No, I haven’t.
•
• Have you ever seen a film in English?
• I’ve never seen a whole film in English.
• Why haven’t you ever seen it?
• Because I don’t understand English very well.
•
• Have you ever worked for a big company?
• Yes, I have.
• What big company did you work for?
• I worked for the ONCE for two months.
•
• Have you ever won a competition?
• I suppose so but I don’t remember which one.
•
• Have you ever appeared on TV?
• I’ve never appeared on TV.
• Would you like to appear on TV?
• No, I wouldn’t.
•
• Have you ever had a bad job interview?
• Yes, I have.
• When did you have it?
• A lot of years ago.
•
• Have you ever sent a text to the wrong person?
• No, I haven’t.
•
• Have you ever taken the AVE?
• No, I haven’t.
• Why have you never taken it?
• Because it’s very expensive.
•
• Have you ever met a famous person?
• No, I haven’t.
•
• Have you ever eaten something really strange?
• No, I haven’t.
•
• Have you ever written a letter of complaint?
• Yes, I have.
• Who was the letter addressed to?
• It was addressed to a car insurance company.
•
• Have you ever got lost in a foreign city?
• No, I haven’t
•
• Have you ever placed a team sport?
• No, I haven’t.
•
• Have you ever driven a sportscar?
• No, I haven’t.
•
• Have you ever got a fine?
• No, I’ve never got a fine
•
• Have you ever gone to a gym?
• Yes, I have.
• When did you go to a gym?
• I usually go a gym twice a week.
•
• Have you ever missed a flight?
• No, never.
•
• Have you ever been given a present that you don’t like?
• Yes, I have.
•
• Have you ever bought something and never worn it?
• Yes, I have.
• What was it?
• It was a blouse.
See you tomorrow!
I used to give classes at ONCE a few years back. I worked there for 3 years.
The only mistakes I can find are:
• I’ve never seen a whole film in English.
• Why haven’t you ever seen ONE?
• What big company did you work for?
• I worked FOR ONCE for two months.
• Have you ever BEEN TO a gym?
• Yes, I have.