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Mowgli Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

hardly ever and tenses

Hello,

my question is: Which tenses can follow after hardly ever?

I am sure I can use the present tense: I harly ever see my friends.

Is this also all right (present perfect)?: I have hardly ever had so many good students.

I suppose it is not possible to use continuous tenses with hardly ever. Am I right?

Bye Mowgli
  

Top answer

com's informative entry for the phrase: "hardly ever Also, rarely ever , scarcely ever . Very seldom, almost never, as in This kind of thief is hardly ever caught , or He rarely ever brings up his wartime experiences . " Since they all mean almost never , it seems to me that they can be used in many verb tenses and forms, though some may be more uncommon: I hardly ever smoke.

— Mister Micawber

  • com's informative entry for the phrase: "hardly ever Also, rarely ever , scarcely ever .
  • Very seldom, almost never, as in This kind of thief is hardly ever caught , or He rarely ever brings up his wartime experiences .
  • " Since they all mean almost never , it seems to me that they can be used in many verb tenses and forms, though some may be more uncommon: I hardly ever smoke.
  • I hardly ever smoked.
  • I am hardly ever caught smoking.
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1 Answers
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Here is Dictionary.com's informative entry for the phrase:

"hardly ever
Also, rarely ever, scarcely ever. Very seldom, almost never, as in This kind of thief is hardly ever caught, or He rarely ever brings up his wartime experiences. The ever in these expressions, first recorded in 1694, serves as an intensifier."


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