Never vs Ever: Difference and Comparison

Never is preceded by a noun, so its prefix meaning is not ever. However, Ever is always followed by a verb.

Both Never and Ever are exceptionally similar, yet the main difference between the two words is that Never suggests a period and Ever suggests an ongoing period.

Key Takeaways

1. “Never” is a negative term indicating that something did not or will not happen at any time.
2. “Ever” refers to any point in time, used in questions and comparisons.
3. Both words convey time-related concepts but have contrasting implications.

Never vs Ever

The word “never” is an adverb used to express a negative statement or indicate that something will not happen or has not happened. The word “ever” is an adverb that means “at any time” or “at any point” and is used to ask questions or to make statements that include all possible options.

Never is a hugely important part of many sentences in English. Moreover, it’s one of the most-used words in both speech and writing.

The word Never can have many meanings in the English language. Some examples are, Never has been, will never do something again, or it will last forever.

The word Ever can also have various meanings, such as for all time, forever, every day, always, and at any point in time. Ever is not one of those words that merely modifies an adjective to intensify it.

However, Ever needs to be used with past perfect verb tenses such as had eaten or would have done.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Never	Ever
Definition	It’s a word that is used to make something impossible or highly unlikely to happen.	It shows how things are likely to change over time.
Application	It is a word mostly seen in writing and speeches.	It is used to modify many other words like every, every day, and forever.
Noun	It’s a noun that means the exact opposite.	It’s a noun that means something that has happened for so long.
Adverb	It is an adverb that refers to something in the future or not at all.	It is an adverb that refers to all the time when paired with not.
Illustration	I will never think about Paris.	How will I ever do this?

What is Never?

The word never means having a specific meaning in written and spoken English, where it is one of the most-used words in speech and writing. It is a word that is used to make something impossible or highly unlikely to happen.

The word Never is mostly seen in writing and speeches, which can be used in several ways.

Never is an adjective or adverb that refers to something in the future or not at all. Moreover, it is also an interjection. For instance, I can’t believe she just did that. Never mind, let’s eat. It is another form of the word no.

Never can be used with any simple tense, such as present tense or past tense. For instance, the sentence he has never been to Paris means that the speaker has no evidence to prove that the speaker has visited Paris.

It is an adjective that means a state of being or not being able to or not wanting to do something, or maybe both, such as She is always painting at night, Never during the day.

What is Ever?

The meaning of Ever is more than just time. However, Ever is an adjective meaning at all times. It is used to modify many other words in the English language, like every day, forever, forevermore, ever after, even once and any time.

It also has something to do with how things are likely to change over time. For example, if someone says they are evergreen or everlasting, it means that they will never die or change at all.

Ever is used in questions or negative sentences when something happens on future dates or far away places. It also means all the time in certain contexts, when paired with not.

Ever can also refer to something always available for use, like electricity. So the everlasting tree could also be called the tree of electricity. Ever needs to be used with past perfect verb tenses such as had eaten or would have done. 

Ever can also be used to describe something that has happened for so long that it seems like it will never change. There are also other ways to describe this idea, like forever or permanently.

For instance, I have ever been to Paris means that the person is certain about the fact that he or she has visited Paris at some point in time, and I am ever doing this means that the listener is certain that he or she is performing this action habitually or repeated at some point in time.

Main Differences Between Never and Ever

1. Never is a word that is used to make something impossible or highly unlikely to happen, whereas, Ever shows how things are likely to change over time.
2. Never is a word mostly seen in writing and speeches, whereas, Ever is used to modify many other words like every, every day, and forever.
3. Never is a noun that means the exact opposite, whereas, Ever is a noun that means something that has happened for so long.
4. Never is an adverb that refers to something in the future or not at all, whereas, Ever is an adverb that refers to all the time, when paired with not.
5. Never illustration include I will never think about Paris, whereas, Ever illustration includes How will I ever go to do this?

References

1. https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/cllt.2005.1.2.263/html
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395913001679
3. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00138383308596608

Last Updated : 13 July, 2023