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Kooyeen Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

Always / Never + which tenses? - American English

0Hi everyone, I have some doubts about which tenses I can use with always/never. In 01b00American English02b00, what's the difference between.....( here are some sentences, they are only examples):02br
01ul
    02br
    01li
  • 00I 01font00have never seen02font00 that thing (before) / I 01font00never saw02font00 that thing (before) 02br
    01li
  • 00I 01font00have always/never wanted02font00 to be a singer / I 01font00always/never wanted02font00 to be a singer / 01font00Did02font00 you always 01font00wanted02font00 to be a singer? 02br
    01li
  • 00I 01font00have never/always known02font00 you were American / I 01font00never/always knew02font00 you were American 02br
    01li
  • 00Before I met her, I 01font00had always thought02font00 she was slim / Before I met her, I 01font00always thought02font00 she was slim 02br
    01li
  • 00She 01font00has always/never been02font00 a great singer / She 01font00was always/never02font00 a great singer / She 01font00always/never was02font00 a great singer02li
    • 02br
    02br
    00Could some of them have the same meaning? I read sentences like the above every day.... they are driving me crazy! 05000 05100 I guess sometimes some people use all that sentences for saying the same thing... but I'm not sure!02br
    02br
    00I can't understand if there are some differences in meaning among the above examples, and which tenses I should use in such cases. I need just a brief explanation, I'm sure you'll be clear as always.05202br
    02br
    00Thank you very much in advance02br
    02li02li02li02li02ul
010id1211id512id5
  

Top answer

02br 00 The simple past version allows the possibility of adding a phrase like 01i 00in those days02i 00 or 01i 00at that time02i 00 -- any phrase that places the situation in the past with no continuation into the present. S. 02br 02br 00 CJ01i 02br 02i 02br 0-

— CalifJim

  • 02br 00 The simple past version allows the possibility of adding a phrase like 01i 00in those days02i 00 or 01i 00at that time02i 00 -- any phrase that places the situation in the past with no continuation into the present.
  • S.
  • 02br 02br 00 CJ01i 02br 02i 02br 0-
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7 Answers
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0 There is no restriction to any particular tense when using 01i00always02i00 or 01i00never02i00 in AmE.02br
00 The present perfect version always implies continuation up to the present moment.02br
00 The simple past version allows the possibility of adding a phrase like 01i00in those days02i00 or 01
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0Thank you very much CalifJim. I knew you yourself would answer... you are the American English Guru in this forum!02br
02br
00I perfectly understand what you said, but I still have a slight doubt. Since I don't want you to spend too much time on my thread ( other learners need your help as well ), I'll ask you some questions that you can answer just saying A,B,C,...etc.02
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0 1. I would use only B.02br
00 2. I would use only B.02br
00 3. Neither A nor B is exactly right without more words.02br
00 4. Neither A nor B is exactly right without more words.02br
02br
00 3. & 4. 01i00She always 01b00was02b00 a great singer, but not anymore. 02i00(Stress "was" wit
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0The past tense with 01i00always, never, ever02i00 01b00can be02b00 a colloquial alternative to the present perfective referring to a state or a habit leading up to the present.02br
02br
01i001. I always knew you were my friend.02i02br
02br
01i002. I've always known you to be my friend.0
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0Thank you very much CalifJim!02br
02br
00I understand what you said. Now I'm satisfied!05005100 Anyway, I think this subject is fairly difficult to understand for a learner at first. We learners always have to study hard, and pay attention to all native speakers says on TV, on the radio.... and that's difficult at first, unfortunately.02br
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0Sorry Teo, I didn't see your post! Thanks to yoo too.02br
02br
00By the way, maybe #1 is more idiomatic than #2. I think people use more often the past perfect with the verb KNOW, rather than the present perfect. That's all guys.02br
02br
00See you 0-
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Kooyeen12cite10Sorry Teo, I didn't see your post! Thanks to yoo too.12br
12br
10By the way, maybe #1 is more idiomatic than #2. I think people use more often 11font10the past perfect12font10 with the verb KNOW, rather than the present perfect. That's all guys.12b
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