---
title: ever — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «ever» in the school dictionary: At any time: «Have you ever seen a whale?». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# ever

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, This, They, I, We, Nobody · **What happens:** see, use, make, mean, have, be · **To what, where:** whale, words, more, best birthday, baby, sweets · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«ever» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 9 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [ever in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ever.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
At any time: «Have you ever seen a whale?».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ever:m1:1
# text = At any time: «Have you ever seen a whale?».
1	At	at	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	3	det	_	_
3	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	Have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	9	advmod	_	_
9	seen	see	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	whale	whale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** *in a quote* | present · perfect | you | a whale |  |  | ever; time |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer whale=Stimulus |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Always, or all the time (in phrases): ever since, for ever, ever after.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ever:m2:1
# text = Always, or all the time (in phrases): ever since, for ever, ever after.
1	Always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
4	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	6	det:predet	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	phrases	phrase	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
12	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	13	advmod	_	_
13	since	since	ADV	RB	_	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	for	for	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	13	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
18	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	19	advmod	_	_
19	after	after	ADV	RB	_	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Used to make words stronger: the best day ever, ever so kind (UK).

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ever:m3:1
# text = Used to make words stronger: the best day ever, ever so kind (UK).
1	Used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	advcl	_	_
2	to	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
3	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
4	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	stronger	strong	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	9	amod	_	_
9	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl:unmarked	_	_
10	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	14	advmod	_	_
13	so	so	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	kind	kind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
15	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	UK	UK	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	14	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  |  |  |  | day |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | words |  |  |  | strong *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset word=Product |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Than ever means more than at any time before, and as ever means just as always.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ever:m4:1
# text = Than ever means more than at any time before, and as ever means just as always.
1	Than	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem|Typo=Yes	3	advmod	_	_
2	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	3	advmod	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	obj	_	_
5	than	than	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	8	det	_	_
8	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	before	before	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
12	as	as	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
13	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	14	advmod	_	_
14	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
15	just	just	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
16	as	as	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
17	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present |  | more |  |  | then; ever |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent more=Topic |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  | ever | always *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Have you ever been to the seaside?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ever:x1:1
# text = Have you ever been to the seaside?
1	Have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	1	nsubj	_	_
3	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	7	advmod	_	_
4	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	7	cop	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	seaside	seaside	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | participle |  |  |  |  | ever | to the seaside | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
This is the best birthday ever!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ever:x2:1
# text = This is the best birthday ever!
1	This	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	5	amod	_	_
5	birthday	birthday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | This | the best birthday |  |  | ever |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They lived happily ever after.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ever:x3:1
# text = They lived happily ever after.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	lived	live	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	happily	happily	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	5	advmod	_	_
5	after	after	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | past | They |  |  |  |  | after, happily *property* | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I have lived here ever since I was a baby.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ever:x4:1
# text = I have lived here ever since I was a baby.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	lived	live	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	here	here	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	_
5	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	3	advmod	_	_
6	since	since	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
7	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present · perfect | I |  |  | here | ever |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | past | I | a baby |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We hardly ever eat sweets.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ever:x5:1
# text = We hardly ever eat sweets.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	hardly	hardly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
3	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	4	advmod	_	_
4	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	sweets	sweet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | infinitive | We | sweets |  |  | ever | hardly *property* | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sweet=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Thank you ever so much (UK).

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ever:x6:1
# text = Thank you ever so much (UK).
1	Thank	thank	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	_
3	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	1	advmod	_	_
4	so	so	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	much	much	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
6	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	UK	UK	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **thank** *speech: thank* | present |  |  | you |  | ever |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nobody ever told me that.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ever:x7:1
# text = Nobody ever told me that.
1	Nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	3	nsubj	_	_
2	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	3	advmod	_	_
3	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | Nobody | that | me |  | ever |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent i=Recipient that=Topic |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Is it ever safe to swim alone? No.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Is it ever safe to swim alone?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ever:x8:1
# text = Is it ever safe to swim alone?
1	Is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	4	advmod	_	_
4	safe	safe	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	swim	swim	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	alone	alone	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | it |  |  |  | ever | safe *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **swim** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | alone *property* | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* No.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ever:x8:2
# text = No.
1	No.	no.	NOUN	NN	Abbr=Yes|Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Marusia returned home sadder than ever.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ever:x9:1
# text = Marusia returned home sadder than ever.
1	Marusia	Marusia	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	returned	return	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	home	home	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	sadder	sad	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	xcomp	_	_
5	than	than	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **return** | past | Marusia |  |  |  |  | home, sad *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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