[Grammar] Never with a verb

[Yura Reiri]

When we use the word 'never', what should be the tense of the verb following it?

Should it always be in the past tense?

Thank you.

 

[birdeen's call]

No, "never" can be used with any tense.

 

[5jj]

When we use the word 'never', what should be the tense of the verb following it?

Should it always be in the past tense?

Thank you.

No. It can be whatever tense you wish to use.

I never swore when I was a child.
I have never wanted to take drugs.
I never touch alcohol.
I will never speak to her again.
etc.

 

[BobK]

:up: In a command, the verb may look as though it's in the present:
Never drink when you're going to drive. ([STRIKE]Never will drink/drunk[/STRIKE] are wrong, and 'Never have drunk' is on the borderline of acceptability - you could say 'Never have drunk before giving an acceptance speech' but most people would say 'Never drink...'.
'Never have drunk...' seems to me like a shorthand way of saying 'Take it from me: Never drink before giving an acceptance speech. I did once, and my agent nearly died of embarassment.'

But the imperative is a mood, not a tense.

b

 

[birdeen's call]

'Never have drunk' is on the borderline of acceptability - you could say 'Never have drunk before giving an acceptance speech' but most people would say 'Never drink...'.
'Never have drunk...' seems to me like a shorthand way of saying 'Take it from me: Never drink before giving an acceptance speech. I did once, and my agent nearly died of embarassment.'

Have a look at the footnote on page 3 here.

 

[BobK]

'Embarrassment' of course. Embarassing or what?

b