'Ever' in Questions. (May 3, 2024 Voice of America learning English)

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 usage of “ever” in a question is so small that you might not even notice at first. But it is important to fully 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 yelled 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 Mount 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.

Do you have a question about American English? Send us an email at learningenglish@voanews.com.

And that’s Ask a Teacher.

I’m Gena Bennett.

Gena Bennett wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

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

Tea is the Most Popular Drink in Britain. Чай — самый популярный напиток в Британии.

 Tea is the Most Popular Drink in Britain.

 Everyone knows that tea is the most popular drink in Britain. It's even more popular than coffee, which is favoured throughout Europe and America. The Dutch brought the first tea to Europe in 1610. But it was not until 1658 that the first advertisement for tea appeared in a London newspaper. At that time a pound of the cheapest tea cost about one-third of a skilled worker's weekly wages. Tea was guarded by the lady of the house and kept in special containers, often with a lock and carefully doled out by the teaspoon. By 1750 tea had become the principal drink of all the classes in Britain. Later, tea-drinking developed into a fashionable social ritual. Tea parties were popular at home and soon the ritual of "afternoon tea" was firmly established. 

Nowadays, throughout the homes, tea shops and hotels of Britain, the custom of tea-time continues. Tea in Britain is brewed in a teapot. Then the one spoonful of tea per person and one for the pot is added. Most people in Britain prefer a rich, strong cup of tea with milk, and sugar is sometimes added to taste. 

 Questions: 

 1. What is the most popular drink in Britain? 

 2. When did the Dutch bring first tea to Europe? 

 3. When did tea become the principal drink in Britain? 

 4. What is the way to brew tea in Britain? 

 5. And what drink do you like? 

 Vocabulary: 

 the Dutch — голландцы 

 advertisement — реклама 

 ritual — ритуал 

 custom — обычай 

 to brew — заваривать

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 Чай — самый популярный напиток в Британии.

 Все знают, что чай — самый популярный напиток в Британии. Он даже популярнее кофе, который предпочитают во всей Европе и Америке. Голландцы привезли первый чай в Европу в 1610 году. Но только в 1658 году первая реклама чая появилась в лондонской газете. В то время фунт чая стоил 1/3 недельной зарплаты хорошего рабочего! Чай хранился у хозяйки дома, находился в специальных коробочках, часто с замком, и аккуратно отмерялся чайной ложкой. К 1750 году чай стал главным напитком всех классов в Британии. Позже чаепитие стало модной общественной традицией. Чаепития были популярны дома, и вскоре ритуал дневного чая стал широко распространен. 

Сегодня во всех домах, чайных, магазинах и гостиницах обряд чаепития продолжается. Чай в Британии заваривается в чайничке для заварки. Затем кладутся одна полная ложка чая на каждую персону и одна — для чайничка. Большинство англичан предпочитает чашку ароматного и крепкого чая с молоком, иногда по вкусу добавляютсахар. 

Wigs and Lawyers. Парики и адвокаты.

Wigs and Lawyers.

English legal dress has a long history. The introduction of wigs into polite society in the reign of Charles II (1660— 85) was an innovation which could not be resisted. After a period of disapproval, wigs were generally assumed by lawyers in 1680's. Before the 17th century lawyers did not wear wigs. But professional discipline required that their hair and beards should be moderately short. By the middle of the 17th century wigs of powdered white or grey hair were the universal custom. But during George Ill's reign (1760—1820) wigs went rapidly out of general use. 

Although bishops were given royal permission to abandon their wigs in 1830, this was not necessarily true of other officials. There is a story that one Lord was refused permission to leave off his wig at court. In 1860 the council were permitted to remove their wigs during a heatwave. This attracted some comment in the press and it was suggested that wigs were abandoned altogether by the legal profession. However, the proposal met with little support, though it has been a common occurrence ever since for judges to allow wigs to be left off in very hot weather, and sometimes turbans are allowed to be worn instead of wigs on religious grounds. Early wigs are difficult to identify in portraits of the period because they were of a natural colour and were sometimes combined with a lock of growing hair at the forehead. However, wigs soon became large and increasingly stylized.

 Questions:

 1. When did the introduction of wigs take place?

 2. In the middle of 17th century wigs have already been the universal custom, haven't they?

 3. Who was given royal permission to abandon wigs in 1830?

 4. Are the lawyers allowed not to wear wigs in heatwave?

 5. What can you tell about early wigs?

 Vocabulary:

 introduction — введение

 wig — парик

 lawyer — адвокат

 beard — борода

 bishop — епископ

 court — суд

 judge — судья

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 Парики и адвокаты.

 Английское юридическое платье имеет долгую историю. Введение париков в высший свет в правлении Карла II (1660—1685) было новшеством, которому не могли сопротивляться. После периода неодобрения парики были признаны адвокатами в 1680-х годах. Перед XVII столетием адвокаты не носили париков. Но профессиональная дисциплина требовала, чтобы их волосы и бороды были умеренно короткими. К середине XVII столетия напудренные белые или серые парики были обычным явлением. Но во время правления Георга III (1760—1820) парики быстро вышли из общего употребления. 

Хотя епископам в 1830 году было дано королевское разрешение не носить парики, это не касалось других должностных лиц. Одна история рассказывает, что лорду было отказано снять парик в суде. В 1860 году адвокатам было разрешено снимать парики во время жары. Это повлекло комментарии в прессе, и было выдвинуто предложение, чтобы парики были запрещены вообще для служителей закона. Однако предложение мало кто поддержал, хотя событием для всех стало с тех пор разрешать судьям снимать парики в жаркую погоду или иногда, по религиозным убеждениям, носить тюрбаны вместо париков. Первые парики трудно было изобразить на портретах, потому что они были натурального цвета и иногда совпадали с прядью настоящих волос на лбу. Однако вскоре парики стали больше и изящнее.