What's the difference between NEVER and EVER?
EVER means at any time. Ever is used mainly in questions.
Although it is usually associated with the present perfect, it can also be used with a present, past or past perfect verb form or with future reference.
If the answer is no, we often use NEVER in the reply, meaning not at any time.
If the answer is yes, we might add once or twice, etc, to indicate how many times we have done whatever is being referred to. Compare the following:
Have you ever been to Ireland?' 'Yes, I have been there twice, once in 1983 and again in 1995.
Did you ever meet Tom Robinson when you were at uni? No, I never did.
My driving instructor asked me if I had ever driven before. I said, no, I never had.
Do you ever go to the cinema? No, I prefer to watch films on video or DVD.
Are you ever going to finish this book? I will try to finish it over the summer. I have no time now.
Will you ever marry me? No, Jason I do not think I ever will.
As you can see from this last example, ever can be used in an affirmative sentence with not as an alternative to the more usual 'never'. It can also be used in affirmative sentences with if and with adverbs which express a negative idea, like hardly. Remember the meaning of ever is always at any time. Compare the following:
If you ever change your mind, let me know. Would love to have you on the team.
If you are ever in London, be sure to come and see us.
We hardly ever go to the theatre. It is too expensive.
I do not think we shall ever see Jenny again now that she has emigrated to Australia.
Remember also that ever can be tagged on to where, when-, what-, which-, who- and how- to make the conjunctions wherever, whenever, whatever, whichever, whoever and however, meaning 'no matter where, no matter when, no matter what, no matter which, no matter who and no matter how. Compare the following:
We were playing 'Hide and Seek', and we could not find him wherever we looked.
If you have a problem, you can phone me up whenever you like at any time of the day.
Whatever advice I gave her, she would be sure not to take it.
Whichever path we took, we were unable to find our way out of the maze.
I shall sell my computer to whoever wants it.
However hard I try, I can never seem to learn vocabulary.
Finally, ever is used in the comparative expression as ever and than ever, meaning as/than at any time in the past. Study the following two examples:
You will have to work harder than ever today, if you want to finish this job before it gets dark.
Jayne, it is so long since I heard you sing, but you sing as beautifully as ever!