Present Perfect - Experience: Stating Experience in the Unspecified Past

Experience

Referring to an activity in the unspecified past

Definite vs. Indefinite Time Frame

PAST	PRESENT PERFECT
Past tense is used to indicate that an activity or event occurred with an adverb stating a specific (definite) time. The emphasis is on the completed activity and its time – used especially when relating a sequence of past events.	Present perfect is used to indicate that an activity or event has occurred without stating exactly when. The emphasis is on having had the experience. The time is indefinite –not important.
My family saw the Tower of Pisa in June, 2007.	My family has seen the Tower of Pisa.
We were in Italy in last year.	We have been in Italy.
We took a flight from Rome to New York last night.	We've taken a flight from Rome to New York.

Present Perfect Adverbs

Indicating Experience - Unspecified Time

Ever / Never – Sentence Types

STATEMENT	NEGATIVE	QUESTION
A statement of experience uses the present perfect. A statement of no experience uses the present perfect and never.	A negative statement or question about experience includes a negative verb or a negative adverb – not both.	A question asked with ever is a direct question. A question asked with never or a tag-question is asked when the speaker thinks he or she already knows the response.
You have been to Italy. experience	You have never been to Italy. statement	Have you never been to Italy? question – I think you have. No, I haven't / Yes, I have. ( Yes, I haven't. – error)
You have never been to Italy. no experience	You haven't ever been to Italy. statement	Have you ever been to Italy? question No, I haven't / Yes, I have.
You have ever been to Italy. incorrect	You haven't never been to Italy. incorrect - a double negative	Have you ever been to Italy? question
		You haven't ever been to Italy, have you? tag-question – I think you haven't.

Ever / Never & Before

EVER / NEVER	BEFORE
Have you ever visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa?	Have you visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa before?
Yes, I have. Yes, I have seen it . (experience exists)	Yes, I have. Yes, I have seen it. (experience exists)
No, I haven't. No, I haven't seen it. (experience doesn't exist)	No, I haven't. No, I haven't seen it. (experience doesn't exist)
No, I haven't ever seen it. (negative verb is used with ever)	Yes, I have seen it before. (experience doesn't exist - emphasis)
No , I have never seen it. (experience doesn't exist - more emphasis)	No, I haven't seen it before. (experience doesn't exist - emphasis)
No , I've never seen it. (I have can contract to I've)	No, I've not seen it before. (experience doesn't exist - emphasis)

Past Adverbs vs. Present Perfect "Experience"

ADVERBS FOR PAST ACTIVITIES	ADVERBS FOR EXPERIENCE
The past tense often occurs with an adverb indicating a definite (specific) time.	The present perfect – when used for experience – may occur with no adverb or occur with an adverb indicating a relative, indefinite time.
We went to Italy last year.	We have been to Italy.
last night yesterday last week last year last January this morning (hours past) this week (days past) this year	this decade. August 1960 1992 May 5th at 5:00. (if it has already passed) twenty years ago during the 1990s at that time etc.	ever before never adverbs are often not included - the time is indefinite	recently just lately adverbs are relative and indefinite: Just / Recently

ADVERBS FOR PAST ACTIVITIES

ADVERBS FOR EXPERIENCE

The past tense often occurs with an adverb indicating a definite (specific) time.

The present perfect – when used for experience – may occur with no adverb or occur with an adverb indicating a relative, indefinite time.

We went to Italy last year.

We have been to Italy.

last night
yesterday
last week
last year
last January
this morning (hours past)
this week (days past)
this year

this decade.
August 1960
1992
May 5th at 5:00. (if it has already passed)
twenty years ago
during the 1990s
at that time etc.

ever
before
never
adverbs are often not included - the time is indefinite

recently
just
lately
adverbs are relative and indefinite: Just / Recently

Also see Adverbs of Time

Yes-No Responses

Using positives or negatives

YES	NO
Whether the question is phrased in a positive or negative manner, yes occurs in the affirmative response with a positive auxiliary verb.	Whether the question is phrased in a positive or negative manner, no occurs in the negative response with a negative auxiliary verb.
POSITIVE QUESTION Have you ever eaten octopus? / Have you eaten octopus?	POSITIVE QUESTION Have you ever eaten octopus? / Have you eaten octopus?
Yes, I have.	No, I haven't.
NEGATIVE QUESTION Haven't you ever eaten octopus? / Have you never eaten octopus?	NEGATIVE QUESTION Haven't you ever eaten octopus? / Have you never eaten octopus?
Yes, I have. / No, I have.	No, I haven't. / Yes, I haven't.

Double Negatives

DOUBLE NEGATIVE STATEMENTS	DOUBLE NEGATIVE SHORT RESPONSES
Commonly, speakers avoid using double negatives with the logic that two negatives equal a positive. Informally, double negatives might be used for emphasis.	When responding to a negative question, a speaker will disregard the negative phrasing. Instead, the person responding understands the negative phrasing as the speaker's doubt or disbelief. The person will respond to the question as if it were positively phrased.
I haven't ever eaten octopus. I haven't never eaten octopus.	Haven't you ever eaten octopus? I can't believe that you have never eaten octopus. Have you ever eaten octopus? I don't know if you have ever eaten octopus.
I haven't never eaten octopus. very informal, mostly speech – used for emphasis I haven't never eaten no octopus. I won't never eat no octopus.	No, I haven't.

Related page: Pop-Q "yes-no"

Word Order

Placing Emphasis

Strong Emphasis vs. Mild Emphasis

STRONG EMPHASIS	MILD EMPHASIS
Place an adverb at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis AND move the auxiliary and main verb in front of the subject.	The adverb can also be placed in front of the auxiliary and main verb.
Never have we seen such a financial mess.	We never have seen such a financial mess before.
Never have we had to have a financial bailout before.	We never have had to have a financial bailout before.
Never did we expect such a thing to happen.	We never expect such a thing to happen.
Never should we [should never] allow this to happen again. The dverb AND the auxiliary verb move in front of subject	We never should [never] allow this to happen again. The adverb moves in front of the auxiliary verb

Normal Placement

NORMAL	FINAL SENTENCE POSITION
The adverb is normally placed before the main verb (and after any auxiliary verbs).	In writing, words closer to the beginning of the sentence carry more emphasis. In speech, intonation determines word emphasis regardless of position in the sentence
We should never allow this to happen again. adverb occurs between auxiliary and main verb	We shouldn't allow this to happen again ever. We shouldn't allow this to happen again — ever. (In speech, emphasis can be added stressing final "ever".)

Review

Common Mistakes

COMMON ERRORS	FIXES
INDEFINITE TENSE WITH DEFINITE ADVERB Have you ever visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa? * Yes, I have visited it in June. incompatible tense and time word	MATCH DEFINITE / INDEFINITE TENSE AND ADVERB Yes, I visited it in June. (Use past tense with a definite time in the past.) Yes, I have visited it. (Use present perfect with an unspecified time – no adverb. ) Yes, I have visited it recently. (Use present perfect with a relative, but indefinite time –recently. )
DOUBLE NEGATIVE – NEGATIVE VERB + NEGATIVE ADVERB He hasn't never been there. double negative	USE ONE NEGATIVE He hasn't ever been there. He hasn't been there.
MIXED YES / NO RESPONSE WITH VERB Haven't you ever eaten octopus? / Have you never eaten octopus. Yes, I haven't. / No, I have. mixed positive and negative words in the response	MATCH YES/NO RESPONSE WITH VERB Haven't you ever… / Have you never… In a negative question, the speaker expresses doubt that the experience has happened or existed. The speaker expects a negative response; however, the response may very well be positive. No, I haven't. / Yes, I have. In an affirmative response, yes occurs with a positive verb. In a negative response, no occurs with a negative verb. While this does not follow + / – logic, this this is how we respond.
MISSING AUXILIARY VERB IN EMPHASIS WORD ORDER "Never we have to have a financial bailout of banking institutions in the U.S. before."	ADVERB AND AUXILIARY VERB MOVED TO FRONT Never have we had to have a financial bailout of banking institutions in the U.S. before. missing verb – see section above "Word order and Emphasis"

COMMON ERRORS

FIXES

INDEFINITE TENSE WITH DEFINITE ADVERB

Have you ever visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
* Yes, I have visited it in June. incompatible tense and time word

MATCH DEFINITE / INDEFINITE TENSE AND ADVERB

Yes, I visited it in June. (Use past tense with a definite time in the past.)
Yes, I have visited it. (Use present perfect with an unspecified time – no adverb. )
Yes, I have visited it recently. (Use present perfect with a relative, but indefinite time –recently. )

DOUBLE NEGATIVE – NEGATIVE VERB + NEGATIVE ADVERB

He hasn't never been there. double negative

USE ONE NEGATIVE

He hasn't ever been there.
He hasn't been there.

MIXED YES / NO RESPONSE WITH VERB

Haven't you ever eaten octopus? / Have you never eaten octopus.

Yes, I haven't. / No, I have. mixed positive and negative words in the response

MATCH YES/NO RESPONSE WITH VERB

Haven't you ever… / Have you never…
In a negative question, the speaker expresses doubt that the experience has happened or existed. The speaker expects a negative response; however, the response may very well be positive.

No, I haven't. / Yes, I have.
In an affirmative response, yes occurs with a positive verb. In a negative response, no occurs with a negative verb. While this does not follow + / – logic, this this is how we respond.

MISSING AUXILIARY VERB IN EMPHASIS WORD ORDER

"Never we have to have a financial bailout of banking institutions in the U.S. before."

ADVERB AND AUXILIARY VERB MOVED TO FRONT

Never have we had to have a financial bailout of banking institutions in the U.S. before. missing verb – see section above "Word order and Emphasis"

Pop-Q " Never"

Practice 1

Stating Experience

Select the answer that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the answer on the right.

#	YOUR RESPONSE	CHECK ANSWER
1.	Have you felt an earthquake ?
2.	I have .
3.	Well, I in a strong earthquake in October 1989.
4.	This area of the country several earthquakes.
5.	A small one yesterday.
6.	Several small earthquakes have happened.
7.	Fortunately, we an earthquake where I live.
8.	When I saw the lamp swaying, I I was imagining it. swaying – moving back and forth
9.	I never much about what I should do during an earthquake.
10.	I never much about what the 1906 earthquake did to San Francisco.
11.	, I have learned about emergency preparation .
12.	Never be caught unprepared for an earthquake.
13.	thought about what you would do?
14.	No, thought about it.

Practice 2

Yes / No Short Responses

Select the answer that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the answer on the right.

#	YOUR RESPONSE	CHECK ANSWER
15.	Haven't you ever had a headache that lasted all day? I have.
16.	Have you never take the day off? I haven't.
17.	I doubt that you have ever been completely relaxed. On the contrary! I have.
18.	Have you never told a lie? I have – some white lies. a white lie – a lie told for the sake of kindness to protect a person's feelings
19.	Haven't you taken a vacation this year? I haven't.
20.	Hasn't your doctor advised you to do so? she has.
21.	Have you ever tried relaxing with yoga? I haven't.
22.	You have never done yoga? On second thought, I have.

Grammar-Quizzes.com

PRACTICE ON POINTS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Experience

Referring to an activity in the unspecified past

Definite vs. Indefinite Time Frame

Present Perfect Adverbs

Indicating Experience - Unspecified Time

Ever / Never – Sentence Types

Ever / Never & Before

Past Adverbs vs. Present Perfect "Experience"

Yes-No Responses

Using positives or negatives

Double Negatives

Word Order

Placing Emphasis

Strong Emphasis vs. Mild Emphasis

Normal Placement

Review

Common Mistakes

Common Mistakes

Practice 1

Stating Experience

Practice 2

Yes / No Short Responses