Could You Plz Gime Explanatioan About Ever And Never

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kafe  #88423  Sat, 09 Apr 05 11:26 AM
Thanks 4 Bieng Here
  
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pieanne  #88432  Sat, 09 Apr 05 11:59 AM
I'll begin, but wait for other explanations...

NEVER is negative, it means "not + ever" (opposite to "always"). You don't use "not" in a sentence with "never", because it's already in it:
I never wash my hair on a Sunday
I've never seen such a thing!

EVER is positive, means "once (in your life)
Have you ever seen a thing like this?
If I ever go to New York I'll send you a post card

And then you have the expression "for ever (and ever)", which means "for all eternity"
  
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I'm glad to help, but I'm not a native! And please excuse my typos...
YoungCalifornian  #88547  Sun, 10 Apr 05 04:14 AM
Wouldn't say "ever" means "once". Instead I think its meaning is closer to 'at any point in time, or in way or form.' Thus, "Have you ever seen a thing like this?" has the same meaning as "Have you seen a thing like this at any time before?"

In American English "for ever" is one word, "forever." However, I don't believe this is the case in British English.
  
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bvpraveen  #88564  Sun, 10 Apr 05 09:05 AM
I agree with YoungCalifornian.

Here is what Cambridge online dic. tells :

Definition
ever (AT ANY TIME) [Show phonetics]
adverb

at any time:

Nothing ever happens here in the evenings.
Have you ever been to London?
  
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pieanne  #88585  Sun, 10 Apr 05 11:59 AM
I do agree with both of you Smile [:)] That's what I meant with "once"
  
YoungCalifornian  #88611  Sun, 10 Apr 05 01:04 PM
I see. I mistook your intended meaning of "once" to be 'one single time.'
  
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