VOA名师答疑2024--'Ever' in Questions

'Ever' in Questions

Hello! This week on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question from Shenchuan in China.

Question

I really want to know the meaning of will ever be able to.

Thanks,

Shenchuan from China

Answer

Thank you for writing, Shenchuan. I am happy to answer this question.

"Will ever be able to" is a verb phrase. "Will be able to" refers to possibility at a future time. "Ever" is an adverb. In an Ask a Teacher years ago, we explained several meanings of "ever." One meaning is "at any time."

The word often appears in the phrase when someone is asking a question. For example,

Have you ever been to Zanzibar?

What is the best movie you have ever seen?

The difference in usage¹ of "ever" in a question is so small that you might not even notice at first. But it is important to fully² understand the meaning of "will ever be able to."

Often, we use "ever" in questions such as "have you ever" to add emphasis, or strength, to a sentence. We might use "ever" if we expect people to agree with us, or have the same answer. For example,

Have you ever heard a better definition?

Have you ever been yelled³ at for just asking a question?

In these examples, "ever" shows a strong feeling.

We can also use "ever" with a question we believe will have a negative answer or feeling. And, we might not even expect an answer. For example,

Did you ever think about me?

Will I ever be able to climb Mount⁴ Everest?

In these examples, we use "ever" because we think the answer is no. And we may not expect anyone to actually answer the question.

We hope this explanation has helped you fully understand the meaning of "will ever be able to," Shenchuan.

Words in This Story

usage-n. the way a word or phrase is used

1 usage   

n.惯用法，使用，用法

参考例句：

• I am clear about the usage of this word at last.这个词的用法我算是弄明白了。
• The usage is now firmly established.这种用法现已得到确认。

2 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

3 yelled   

v.叫喊，号叫，叫着说( yell的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He yelled at the other driver. 他冲着另一位司机大叫。
• The lost man yelled, hoping someone in the woods would hear him. 迷路的人大声喊着，希望林子里的人会听见。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 mount   

n.山峰，乘用马，框，衬纸；vi.增长，骑上（马）；vt.提升，爬上，装备

参考例句：

• Their debts continued to mount up.他们的债务不断增加。
• She is the first woman who steps on the top of Mount Jolmo Lungma.她是第一个登上珠穆朗玛峰的女人。