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Lesson 120 of 240

New here? This is lesson 120 of a free 240-lesson English course.

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Have you ever in English

Ana is at the Blue Plate when the jukebox clicks to B7 and plays nothing.

Murray asks if she has ever heard it play. She mixes the answer up. Dee says there is no record.

You will ask if someone has ever done a thing, even one time in their life.

You'll also say you've never been there, you've been there once, or yes, I have.

By the end of this lesson

Say you have or have never done something.

  • Have you ever ___?Ask if they did this even one time in their life.
  • I've never been there.You have not visited that place, not even once.
  • Have you been here before?Ask if this is their first time in this place.
  • I've been there once.You visited that place one time.
  • I've never eaten that.You have not tried that food, not even once.
  • Yes, I have.You say that experience is true for you.

Scene — the jukebox clicks

Same afternoon at the Blue Plate. Ana sits at the counter. Murray has two stools and a coffee he has not finished.

The jukebox by the door clicks over to B7 and plays nothing. Danny comes in from the food truck, phone in hand.

Ana sits at the counter as Murray turns toward the silent jukebox and Danny enters with his phone.

Learn — have you ever

Six lines help you ask about someone's life, and say if you have or have never done a thing.

You'll hear I've as one piece, like I have.

  1. Danny enters the diner and holds his phone out toward Ana in a questioning gesture.

    Have you ever ___?

    Ask if they did this even one time in their life.

    When to use it: Ask this to know if they did a thing even once.

    Learn Have you ever as one piece, then name the action.

    Say it: Have and you can link.

  2. Ana gives a small head shake in response to Danny’s question about visiting the place.

    I've never been there.

    You have not visited that place, not even once.

    When to use it: Say this when you have not visited a place.

    I've is I have, so learn I've never as one piece.

    Say it: Use your voice for the th in there.

  3. Murray turns toward Ana and asks whether she has ever heard the jukebox play.

    Have you been here before?

    Ask if this is their first time in this place.

    When to use it: Ask this to check if this place is new for them.

    Here means this place, and before means at any earlier time.

  4. Ana gestures that she has visited the place once while Danny holds his phone lower.

    I've been there once.

    You visited that place one time.

    When to use it: Say this when you visited a place one time.

    Once means one time, and I've is I have as one piece.

    Say it: Stress once, the last word.

  5. Ana eases an untouched plate of pie away from herself to show she has never tried it.

    I've never eaten that.

    You have not tried that food, not even once.

    When to use it: Say this when you have not tried that food.

    Eaten comes after I've never when you talk about food.

    Say it: Stress the first part of eaten.

  6. Dee gestures toward the pie as Danny nods to confirm that the experience is true for him.

    Yes, I have.

    You say that experience is true for you.

    When to use it: Say this short yes after a Have you question.

    Use have, not do, after a Have you question.

    Say it: Have is strong in this short answer.

Story — nothing plays

Watch Murray ask if Ana has ever heard B7 play. She has not, and she mixes the words.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Afternoon at the Blue Plate. The jukebox clicks to B7 and plays nothing.
  2. MurrayWell, have you ever heard B7 play?He asks if she heard it even one time in her life.
  3. AnaI've never been there.You have not visited that place, not even once.
  4. DeeIt's a button, hon, not a place.She tells Ana that B7 is not a street.
  5. DeeThere's no record in that slot.She says the jukebox has nothing to play.
  6. DannyI often come here. Any day now.He comes a lot, and he thinks it will play soon.
  7. Danny shows Ana a photo of Milwaukee on his phone.
  8. DannySo, have you been here before?Ask if this is their first time in this place.
  9. AnaI've been there once.You visited that place one time.
  10. MurrayHave you ever tried the cherry pie?He asks if she tried that pie even one time.
  11. AnaI've never eaten that.You have not tried that food, not even once.
  12. DeeDanny, have you?She asks Danny the same pie question.
  13. DannyYes, I have.You say that experience is true for you.

Practice — once or never

Quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay short, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    English

    I've never been there.Drop the Simple English here
    Have you been here before?Drop the Simple English here
    I've been there once.Drop the Simple English here
    I've never eaten that.Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

    Drag a Simple English line onto its English, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    Ask Murray if he has heard B7 play, even one time in his life.

  4. What does it mean?

    I've never eaten that.

  5. Fill the gap

    You visited that place one time.

    I've been there ____.

  6. Build the line

    Ask if this is their first time in this place.

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Murray says:

    Have you ever been to Milwaukee?

    He asks if you visited that city even one time.

    And you reply with:

  8. Swap the word

    Dee names a pie you have not tried. Tell her that.

    I've never ____ that.

  9. True or false?

    Say this after someone asks Have you ever.

  10. What do you say?

    You come to the Blue Plate a lot. Tell Danny that.

  11. True or false?

    This line asks if they want more coffee.

Say it — say it back

Now you're Ana at the counter. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. MurrayWell, have you ever heard B7 play?He asks if you heard it even one time in your life.
  2. Ana (you)You heard B7 as a place. Say you have not visited it.

    I've never been there.

    You have not visited that place, not even once.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
Have you ever ___?Ask if they did this even one time in their life.
I've never been there.You have not visited that place, not even once.
Have you been here before?Ask if this is their first time in this place.
I've been there once.You visited that place one time.
I've never eaten that.You have not tried that food, not even once.
Yes, I have.You say that experience is true for you.
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