Video A

Introduction to asking questions with Have Ever Been + Noun, Adj, or Prep. Phrase

Hello and welcome

to your MES eLesson.
I'm Natalie.
Today you’re going
to learn
the what, the how and
the when of asking
Have Ever Been + Noun, Adjective, or Prepositional Phrase questions.
Let’s start with “WHAT.” <What are
Have Ever Been + Noun, Adj, or Prep. Phrase questions used for?>

They are used to

ask about the possibility
of something
that happened
before now, at
an non-specific time
which started in the past and
continues until now, for example,

“Have you ever been to Disneyland before?”.

We use “ever” for emphasis.

The “simple past” is used for something which

starts and stops in the past, for example:

“Were you ever at Disneyland in the summer time?”

Good. Now, let’s learn “HOW.” <How do you use Have Ever Been + Noun, Adj, or Prep.
Phrase questions?>
<1. Know your conjugation>

First, know how

to conjugate
“have” + ”ever” + “been”.
If you want to ask about yourself, please repeat:
Have I ever been
-
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If you want to ask about me,
Have you ever been
-
-
If you want to ask about Jose,
Has Jose ever been
-
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If you want to ask about Naomi,
Has Naomi ever been
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If you want to ask about us,
Have we ever been
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-
If you want to ask about them,
Have they ever been
-
-
It’s very important
to memorize this
conjugation fluently
before you start
practicing Video B.

<2. Know your nouns, adjectives and prepositional phrases>

Next, know your nouns, adjectives, and
prepositional phrases,
and really study your vocabulary.
For example,
Have you ever been:
a jet-setter?
granola?
to Florence?

<3. Know how to build a question>

Finally, to build a more specific question,
you can use a time reference, for example:

“Have you ever been hyperactive before?”

or another prepositional phrase, for example;

“Have you ever been hyperactive after three cups of joe?”.

So, finally, <when do you use Have Ever Been + Noun, Adj, or Prep. Phrase questions?>

You use them to start conversations with

people and find out more about
their experiences.
Excellent!
<motion> Quick Review
Now, let’s review!
First, <What are Have Ever Been + Noun, Adjective,
or Prepositonal Phrase questions used for?>
They are used for
asking about past experiences.
Second, <How do you use Have Ever Been + Noun, Adj, or Prep. Phrase questions?>

You use them by

knowing the conjugation
of Have been,
and building a
more specific
question with the
vocabulary,
time references
and prepositional phrases.
Third, <When do
you use Have Ever Been + Noun, Adjective, or Prepositional Phrase questions?>

You use
them to start
conversations and also
to show interest
in people’s experiences.
Well done! Let’s move
on to Video B to really practice making a
variety of
your own questions! Remember to
keep on reviewing your vocabulary.
I'm Natalie and
I look forward to
seeing you soon.

Video B

Practicing asking questions with Have Ever Been + Noun, Adj, or Prep. Phrase.

Hi and welcome back

to your MES eLesson.
I’m Natalie.
Now that
you understand
the concept of asking questions with
Have Ever Been + Noun, Adjective, or Prepositional. Phrase,
let’s really practice.
Before we begin,
let's review the
conjugation that you
learned in Video A.
Please repeat after
me and remember to
focus on your
pronunciation and conversation speed.
Have I ever been
-
-
Good, let’s do it faster.
Have I ever been
-
-
Excellent.
Have you ever been
-
-
Good, let’s speed it up again.
Have you ever been
-
-
Good, that’s the speed
you should use in order
to speak fluently.
Let’s continue.
Has your brother, Saul, ever been
-
-
Has your sister, Edith, ever been
-
-
Have we ever been
-
-
Have they ever been
-
-
Great! You need to memorize
this conjugation
for fluency.
Let’s move on.
Let’s build
a full question with
the prepositional phrase
"on a shopping spree".
Please repeat after me.

Have I ever been on a shopping spree?

-
-
Have you ever been on a shopping spree?
-
-
Now, let’s work on your speed and do that one again.

Have you ever been on a shopping spree?

-
-
Has Laney ever been on a shopping spree?
-
-
Excellent, now let’s add
the time reference “before”. Please repeat.

Has Jack ever been on a shopping spree before?

-
-
Have we ever been on a shopping spree before?
-
-
Have they ever been on a shopping spree before?
-
-
Great! Let’s start practicing.
This time, let’s
practice changing the
subject and
using the same
prepositional phrase
“on a shopping spree”
plus "before".
Please read and
listen first, and then
ask me the full question.

on a shopping spree before

Ask me.
-
-
-
Good job! <motion> Remember you have to
work on your speed.
Please repeat:
Have you ever been on a shopping spree before?
-
-
-
Ask me about Martin.
-
-
-
Has Martin ever been on a shopping spree before? Please repeat.
-
-
-
Good job. Now let’s practice changing to the adjective
"secretive".

<motion> secretive before

Please ask me.
-
-
-
Excellent! Have you ever been secretive before? Please repeat.
-
-
-
Good! secretive before
Ask me about Albert.
-
-
-
Has Albert ever been secretive before? Please repeat.
-
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-
Great! Ask me using the prepositional phrase
"to a bowling alley".
-
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-
Good! Remember to
work on your intonation. Please repeat.

Have you ever been to a bowling alley before?

-
-
-
Now ask me about my brother.
-
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-
Good! Has your brother ever been to a bowling alley before?
Please repeat again.
-
-
-
Great! Now let’s
make a more specific question by adding
another prepositional phrase.

to a bowling alley on a tournament night

Please ask me.
-
-
-
Very nice! Have you ever been to a bowling alley on a tournament night before? Please repeat.
-
-
-
Ask me about my cousin, Issac, using
“at the mall” and
“all day long”.
-
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-
Has your cousin, Issac, ever been at the mall all day long? Please repeat.
-
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-
Great job! Let’s practice with the prepositional phrase
“in a tough situation” plus “at work.”
Please ask me about Priscilla.
-
-
-
Has Priscilla ever been in a tough situation at work? Please repeat.
-
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-
Good. Now let’s practice some modern English.
“in a tough situation” can also
be said as
“between a rock and a hard place.”

Remember, speed
and intonation
are important when
you use slang!
Ready?

between a rock and a hard place at work

Ask me about Priscilla.
-
-
-
Has Priscilla ever been between a rock and a hard place at work?
Please repeat.
-
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-
Follow my intonation, repeat after me:
Has Priscilla ever been between a rock and a hard place at work?
-
-
-
Excellent. Now let's try
using another prepositional phrase.
between a rock and a hard place at home Please ask me.
-
-
-
Have you ever been between a rock and a hard place at home? Please repeat.
-
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-
Let's try again with a prepositional phrase.
short of time
Ask me.
-
-
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Have you ever been short of time? Please repeat.
-
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Great! Let’s learn the slang
for “short of time”:
“against the clock”
and change
the prepositional phrase.
Ready?

against the clock on a major project

Ask me about Dan and Ellie.
-
-
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Have they ever been against the clock on a major project? Please repeat.
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Great! Let’s use a noun plus a prepositional phrase:
“an extreme dependant”
plus “on your paycheck.”

an extreme dependant on his paycheck

Ask me about Norman.
-
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Good work! Has Norman ever been an extreme dependant on his paycheck? Please repeat.
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Great! So, for the last one,
let’s learn the slang
for “an extreme dependant on:” “a slave to.”
Ready?

a slave to her paycheck

Ask me about Jessie.
-
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Well Done! Has Jessie ever been a slave to her paycheck?
Please repeat.
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Great! Please practice
with this video until
you are able to ask
questions fluently! Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep on practicing with this video until
you become fluent.