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Mack&Mack Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Do U ever play VS Have U ever played.

What are the differences in meaning and answers to each of these questions below?

1. Do you ever play a lottery?

2. Have you ever played a lottery?

I'm so confused with the tense used in the first sentence. As far as I know, native speakers of English use "present perfect tense" to ask someone about events that have happend in their life. Isnt' it so?
  

Top answer

Hello, We only have one lottery in the UK so we would say 'the lottery' instead of 'a lottery'. Again, play is not really the verb we would use either, try 'do' or 'enter'. The two sentences have very different meanings.

— Nona the brit

  • Hello, We only have one lottery in the UK so we would say 'the lottery' instead of 'a lottery'.
  • Again, play is not really the verb we would use either, try 'do' or 'enter'.
  • The two sentences have very different meanings.
  • ' this is enquiring about the present and you want to know if they enter, perhaps every week, perhaps only now and then, but they do take part at times.
  • Maybe they are planning to buy a ticket tomorrow?
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2 Answers
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Hello,

We only have one lottery in the UK so we would say 'the lottery' instead of 'a lottery'. Again, play is not really the verb we would use either, try 'do' or 'enter'.

The two sentences have very different meanings. 'Do you ever play the lottery?' this is enquiring about the present and you want to know if they enter, perhaps every week, perhaps only now and then, but they
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Thanks a lot, nona the brit. I'm glad I got the meaning of the sentences.

From what I understood, "Do you ever enter the lottery?" and "Do you often enter the lottery?" sound simmilar. Am I right?

Thanks in advance.. ^^
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