Have You Ever...?
Present Perfect — life experiences. The group plays the 'Have You Ever?' game: Leo eats fried grasshoppers, Priya speaks no Japanese in Japan, Omar wins chess tournaments.
📖 Reading: The 'Have You Ever?' Game
On a rainy Saturday, Maya, Leo, Omar, and Priya are playing a game. The rules are simple: one person asks "Have you ever…?" and the others say yes or no.
"Have you ever eaten something really strange?" asks Omar.
"Yes, I have!" says Leo. "I once ate fried grasshoppers in Oaxaca. Have you?"
"No, I never have," says Omar. "I've tried lots of unusual food, but never insects."
"Have you ever been to a country where you didn't speak the language?" asks Maya.
"Yes! I've been to Japan twice," says Priya. "It was amazing but confusing!"
"I've never been to Japan," says Leo. "But I've always wanted to go."
"Have you ever won anything?" asks Maya.
"Actually, yes!" says Omar. "I've won two chess tournaments."
"Wow! Have you ever lost?" teases Leo.
"Of course I have," laughs Omar. "But I've learned more from losing than winning."
🔑 Vocabulary Box
Eight key words from this lesson.
| Word | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| grasshopper | A jumping insect, sometimes eaten as food in some cultures | n. — Leo ate fried grasshoppers in Oaxaca. |
| insect | A small creature with six legs | n. — He's tried unusual food but never insects. |
| tournament | A competition with a series of games | n. — Omar has won two chess tournaments. |
| confusing | Difficult to understand; causing confusion | adj. — Japan was amazing but confusing. |
| tease | To make jokes at someone's expense in a friendly way | v. — Leo teases Omar about losing. |
| unusual | Not normal or typical; different from what is expected | adj. — I've tried lots of unusual food. |
| twice | Two times | adv. — She's been to Japan twice. |
| experience | Something that has happened to you | n. — It was an amazing experience. |
📚 Key Verbs in This Lesson | |
to eat → eaten | Have you ever eaten something strange? |
to be → been | I've been to Japan twice. |
to win → won | Omar has won two tournaments. |
to try → tried | I've tried lots of unusual food. |
📚 Grammar Focus
📚 Present Perfect — Form | |
Positive | I/You/We/They have + past participle = I've eaten, We've been |
He/She/It | has + past participle = She's been, He's eaten |
Negative | I haven't eaten... / She hasn't been... |
Question | Have you ever eaten...? / Has she ever been...? |
Short answer | Yes, I have. / No, I haven't. / Yes, she has. |
Ever and Never
📚 Ever and Never | |
Have you ever...? | Used in questions about life experience. |
Yes, I have. / I've... | I've been to Japan twice. |
No, I've never... | I've never eaten insects. / I've never won a tournament. |
I've always wanted to... | I've always wanted to go to Japan. |
Present Perfect vs. Past Simple
📚 Present Perfect vs. Past Simple | |
Present Perfect (experience, unspecified time) | I've been to Japan. (at some point in my life) |
Past Simple (specific time) | I went to Japan in 2019. (specific time given) |
Rule | Use PP for experiences. Switch to PS when you give a specific time. |
🎭 Dialogue: Have You Ever Game
Omar, Leo, Maya, and Priya play the 'Have You Ever?' game on a rainy Saturday — strange food, foreign languages, competitions.
Have you ever eaten something really unusual?
Yes! I've eaten fried grasshoppers. Have you?
No, never! I've tried a lot of strange things but not insects.
Have you ever been to a place where you didn't speak the language?
Yes! I've been to Japan twice. Amazing but very confusing!
I've never been to Japan. I've always wanted to go though.
Have you ever won anything, Leo?
Hmm… I won a cooking competition at school once. Does that count?
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
What did Leo eat in Oaxaca?
How many times has Priya been to Japan?
What has Omar won?
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
I ___ sushi before. (eat — Present Perfect)
She ___ to Japan twice. (be — Present Perfect)
Omar ___ two tournaments. (win — Present Perfect)
🎭 Now It's Your Turn — Role Play
Practice with a partner. Use the dialogue as a model.
- Play the "Have You Ever?" game with your partner!
- Take turns asking "Have you ever…?" questions.
- If the answer is YES: ask a follow-up using Past Simple (When? Where? What was it like?)
- If the answer is NO: ask "Would you ever…?"
- Each person must ask at least 5 questions.