(1) ever意为“在过去任何时候;曾经”。
①常用在疑问句或带否定意味的句子中。
- I hardly ever got to bed till past twelve.
过去,我几乎没有在12点前睡过。 - I doubt whether there ever was any such person under the sun.
我不知道世界上是否曾经有过这样的人。
②有时用在肯定句中,特别是在表示比较的句子中。
- He is one of the most interesting fellows I ever came across.
他是我所遇到过的最有趣的人之一。
③ever也可用于将来的动作,表示强调。
- If you are ever in the neighborhood, you must visit us.
你如到这一带来,一定要来看我们。 - Do you suppose there'll ever be a remedy for chronic and stubborn social evil of that sort?
对于那种慢性的社会顽症,你以为会有补救方法吗?
④也可用于谈以过去观点看将来的情况。
- After running into a stone wall so many times, he nearly despaired of ever reaching the top.
在撞上石墙这么多次以后,他几乎对到达顶端的可能性失去了信心。
⑤有时,ever也用于表示现在的经常性动作。
- I hardly ever see him recently.
近来我不常看到他。 - She is scarcely ever at home now.
现在她不常在家。
(2) already和yet都用来指跟现在接近的时间。
①有时already暗含事情的发生比预计的早,用在问句末尾,表示惊奇,有“怎么会那样(早)”的意味。(见“already, all ready”条)
- Good heavens! Are you back home already?
天哪!你怎么已经回到家了? - You have found it already?
怎么,你已经找到它了?
②already还有“现在已经”(even now)之意。
- Let's get moving; it's already late.
咱们行动起来吧,已经晚了。
③already较常用于进行时或完成时肯定句里。
- I have already finished the work.
我已完成这项工作。 - He was already looking at the matter in its true light.
那时他已经根据实际情况来看这个问题了。 - Tomorrow he will have read the article already。
明天,他就会读到这篇文章了。
④already可以用在if从句里。
- If he hasn't read the book already , tell him he may keep it till Friday.
如果他还没有看这本书,告诉他他可以把书保留到星期五。
(3) ①yet常用来指说话人预计要发生的事。
- A: I'm travelling round the world.
我在周游世界。 - B: Have you been to Canada yet ?
你已去过加拿大了?
②yet多用于疑问句或否定句,常放在句末,也可以紧接not之后,表示“已经,还(没有)”。
- A: Have you heard from him yet?
你收到他的信了吗?
B: No, I haven't yet heard from him.
不,还没有收到。 - The task is not yet finished.
还没有完成任务。 - It is not time to go yet .
还未到去的时间。
③在肯定句里,yet与still同义,这时yet一般含有某种感情意味。
- She is talking yet .
她还在谈着呢。(暗示有些不耐烦) - You will succeed yet .
你仍会成功的。(暗示虽然失败了) - I have yet (=still) another question to ask.(口语中多用still)
我还有另外一个问题要问。
④yet可用来加强形容词、副词的比较级,也可用still代替。
- This is a yet easier piece of work.
这是一项更容易些的工作。 - It is yet more difficult.
它更难一些。
⑤yet可用以修饰带否定意味的形容词、过去分词和有否定意味的不定式。
- We must continue his yet unfinished task.
我们一定要继续他尚未完成的任务。 - I have yet to learn.
我还得学习。 - It was too early yet to tell anything.
要说什么还为时太早。