Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[nawee]

Hello,

What is the difference between:

a) Do you ever go to Ireland on holiday?
b) Have you ever been to Ireland on holiday?

Thank you,

Nawee

[CP]

The first one implies that you go on vacation / on holiday often and asks if you ever go to Ireland. (Some people never travel when they have time off; some travel whenever they get the chance.) The second one doesn't imply anything, but just asks whether you have ever gone there.

By the way, "on holiday" is more British English, while "on vacation" is more American.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[nawee]

Does it make any difference if we just say "Do you ever go to Ireland?"

Nawee

[CP]

These are not huge differences, but the same slight difference in meaning (to me) exists if you eliminate "on holiday" from your sentences.

"I know you don't travel much, but have you ever been to Ireland?" (I wouldn't expect "do you ever go to Ireland" here.)

"I know you take three vacations per year, so tell me: Do you ever go to Ireland / Have you ever been to Ireland?" (Either one works here.)

By the way, I have been to Ireland, and I love the place.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[nawee]

Dear CP,

Thank you very much for your explanation. Until you explained the meaning of "do you ever" to me, I was led to believe that "ever" is used with the Perfect teneses only. Then I saw light!

So basically the difference between "do you ever" and "have you ever" is the difference in meaning between the Present Simple and the Present Perfect, right?

A: Do you ever go to Ireland on holiday?
(= You go on holiday every year. Do you go to Ireland on holiday at
all?)
B: Yes, I have been there 3 times and I love the place.

A: Have you ever been to Ireland on holiday?
(= Have you visited the place? - regardless of whether or not you go
abroad or go on holiday regularly)
B: No, I haven't./Yes, I went there two years ago and I loved it!

What about "ever" with the Past Simple? I heard this sentence from an advertisement of a TV series.

"... to say goodbye to the one woman he ever loved."

I would use the Present Perfect to imply that until present she is the only woman he has ever loved. Is there any difference in meaning, however slight, between "ever loved" and "has ever loved"? Does the fact that the woman in question is dead have anything to do with the choice of tense?

I have noticed that when talk about feelings towards the dead in English, the Past Simple is usually used. Can't we still have the same feelings after people die or the feelings are assumed to be in the past because the object of such feelings no longer exist?

Thank you very much in advance for your answer.

Nawee

PS By the way, I have never been to Ireland, but I hope to visit the place one day.