PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE: THE ADVERBS

NEVER and EVER

The adverbs ever and never express the idea of an unidentified time before

now. For example:
Have they ever visited the Eiffel Tower?
They have never visited the Eiffel Tower.

EVER and NEVER are always placed before the main verb

EVER means “at any time” and it is used:

- in Interrogative Sentences. For example:

Have you ever been to England?
Has she ever met a famous person?

- in Negative Interrogative Sentences. For example:

Haven’t they ever been to Europe?
Haven’t you ever tried French food?

- and in Affirmative Sentences with a negative meaning that contain the

structures nothing...ever, nobody/no one…ever. For example:
Nobody has ever said that to me before.
Nothing like this has ever happened to us.
No one has ever told me a story like this.

- it is also used with the expression “the first time…” For example:
It’s the first time (that) I’ve ever tried this ice cream flavor.
This is the first time I’ve ever been to Ireland.

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- we use the expression “ever since” to mean all the time since a certain point.
(We can also use “since” without “ever” in these examples, but “ever” makes it
stronger). For example:
I have loved London ever since I was a child.
She has wanted to become a lawyer ever since she watched that movie.

NEVER means “at no time” and it is used:

- in Affirmative Sentences with a negative meaning because never means “at no

time before now”. For example:
She has never forgotten a birthday.
We have never participated in a competition.
They have never gone on vacation to New Zealand.

- we can use “never ever” to make the meaning of never stronger. This is a very
informal use of these adverbs. For example:
I have never ever seen such a disaster in my life.
We have never ever understood what that was supposed to mean.

BE CAREFUL!

NOT and NEVER can’t be used in the same sentence.

I haven’t never been to Canada.  I have never been to Canada.

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YET

The adverb yet is usually placed at the end of the sentence.

This adverb means “not in the period of time between before now and now”.

YET is used in:

- in Negative Sentences. For example:
I haven’t visited the Getty Museum yet.
They haven’t watched the movie yet.

- and in Interrogative Sentences. For example:

Have you finished the project yet?
Has she arrived yet?

ALREADY

The adverb already can be placed between the auxiliary verb (have/has) and
the main verb (past participle) or at the end of the sentence. The meaning of the
sentence won’t change because of the placement of this adverb.

This adverb refers to an action that has happened at an unspecified time before
now. It suggests that there is no need for repetition.

ALREADY is used in:

- in Affirmative Sentences. For example:
I’ve already drunk three cups of coffee this morning. (I don’t need any more
coffee for the time being).
Don’t message Tom. I’ve done it already. (The task has been fulfilled).

- and in Interrogative Sentences. For example:

Have you already completed the work?
Has she left the building already?

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JUST

The adverb just can be placed between the auxiliary verb (have/has) and the
main verb (past participle).

This adverb refers to a very recent moment.

JUST is used in:

- in Affirmative Sentences. For example:
Michael has just left the house. (He left the house a short time ago).
I’ve just arrived at the office. (I arrived at the office a short time ago).

- in Interrogative Sentences. For example:

Have you just called me?
Have they just mailed you the information?