Tonight’s song is almost entirely questions, and they all begin the same way: Have you ever…?
Learn from Songs · Unit 6: The perfect aspect · B1
Have You Ever?
A ballad made of questions about feelings: Have you ever…? with feelings and experiences, short answers (Yes, I have. No, I haven’t.), ever and never, irregular past participles, and following up with the past simple (When did you…?), with Marcos, and the older boys who never notice him.
SOPHIA
DEMETRIA
Have you ever what?
SOPHIA
Have you ever felt something that hurts, but that you can’t stop feeling? Loving someone who doesn’t love you back, for example.
MARCOS
That’s a very sad question.
Before you listen: the song
Los Angeles, 1998
Brandy is an American singer and actress, who became famous as a teenager. “Have You Ever?” was written by Diane Warren, one of the most successful songwriters in the world, and produced by David Foster. In 1998 it became Brandy’s second number one in the USA.
In the song, she asks question after question: whether the listener has ever loved someone who didn’t love them back, whether they have ever wanted something they couldn’t have, whether they have ever felt the same as she does. She is asking because she is in that situation herself.
It’s a song about unrequited love: love that is not returned. And it reminds us that almost everyone has felt it at some time.
Have you ever…?
Listen: the questions
PHILO
Listen once. How many questions start with Have you ever? What is she asking about?
SOPHIA
Then answer Section A.
🤝 Listen to the song: “Have You Ever?” (Diane Warren, 1998), sung by Brandy.Watch the official video →
📜 Read the words while you listen: “Have You Ever?”, Brandy.Read the lyrics →
Have you ever…?
DEMETRIA
Have you ever felt invisible? Have you ever loved someone who didn’t notice you?
SOPHIA
Have you ever + past participle? asks about experiences at any time in your life. Answers: Yes, I have. / No, I haven’t. / No, never. Not Yes, I did!
Ever and never
MARCOS
I’ve never felt like this. Have you ever…?
SOPHIA
ever = at any time (questions, and after superlatives: the best I’ve ever…). never = at no time (a negative word, so no not: I’ve never been, not I haven’t never been).
Follow up in the past simple
PHILO
Have you ever been in love? Yes, I have. When was that? Who was it?
SOPHIA
Once you know that it happened, ask for details with the past simple: When did it happen? Where were you? How did you feel?
Sophia’s comparison: Echo and Narcissus
SOPHIA
The nymph Echo loved the beautiful young Narcissus. He never even looked at her. She faded away until only her voice was left, repeating other people’s words.
PHILO
And Jacob loved Rachel, but Leah, her sister, loved Jacob, and he didn’t love her as much. The Torah says the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, and gave her children.
DEMETRIA
So someone always notices, even when the one you love doesn’t.
Sophia’s summary
| Words and forms | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Have you ever + past participle? | experiences at any time | Have you ever felt invisible? |
| Yes, I have. / No, I haven’t. | short answers | Have you ever been to Rome? No, I haven’t. |
| ever / never | any time / no time | I’ve never felt like this. |
| When did…? Where were…? | details in the past simple | When did it happen? |
| unrequited love | love that is not returned | It’s a song about unrequited love. |
Practice
Listen to the song for Section A, then do the rest. Press “Check my answers” at the end. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Listen: the song
Listen to the song and choose the best answer.
1. How do most lines in the song begin?
2. What is the song about?
3. Who wrote it?
4. How does the song sound?
5. Why is the singer asking these questions?
6. What was its success in the USA?
B · Grammar and vocabulary
Write the missing word or words.
7. you ever felt invisible?
8. Have you ever been to Rome? No, I .
9. I’ve felt like this before. (not at any time)
10. Have you ever a famous person? (meet)
11. Yes, I have. When that? (be)
12. It’s the saddest song I’ve heard.
C · Right or wrong?
Is the sentence correct English?
13. “Have you ever been to London?” “Yes, I did.”
14. “I’ve never seen the sea.”
15. “I haven’t never tried it.”
16. “Have you ever ridden a horse?”
Talk and write
Discussion and writing
Have you ever…? bingo. Make a grid of nine experiences. Walk around asking Have you ever…? When someone says Yes, I have, ask a past simple follow-up question and write their name.
Discuss. 1. Why do you think so many songs are about unrequited love? 2. How should you behave towards someone who likes you, if you don’t feel the same? 3. Is it better to tell people how you feel?
Write (80–100 words). Have you ever…? Write a short poem or paragraph of five Have you ever…? questions about feelings, then answer one of them yourself in the past simple.
Now play the gamebook: Marcos and the older boys at the gymnasium.Play the gamebook →