# EN: The best I have ever/never seen



## Minaeth

Hi!
Could someone help me?

Is "*the best I have never seen*" correct? I know we hear it sometimes, but is it informal?
Can't find it in my grammar books!

Thanks


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## vansfan

Hello,

I would say the best I have *ever* seen.


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## Minaeth

So would I, of course.

But the "never-version" seems to be accpetable to many people. I'm just wondering if it's officially correct.


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## franc 91

I think it's tongue in cheek - the best that never was


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## Minaeth

What do you mean by "tongue in cheek"? I don't know the expression, sorry...


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## franc 91

ça veut dire que c'est ironique - il te fait chambrer (quelle différence il y a t-il entre un oiseau?)


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## Keith Bradford

There's a book of humorous quotations called "_The funniest thing you never said_".  This isn't correct English (il faudrait "_ever_") but it's a joke because you never said these things, other people said them.  But now you can repeat them...


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## Minaeth

I see what you mean! Thanks you all.

Keith Bradford, I often read your answer on various threats on the forum, and you're always very clear and helpful. I really like the way you explain things! I would say you're a teacher, aren't you?


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## xiancee

He's the best we've ever had here!


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## Minaeth

Actually he is ;-)


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## misterk

It's possible to imagine a context in which "the best I've never seen" would make sense.  Imagine that I've never seen the movie "The Godfather" (but I know that it's supposed to be great).  I  might say "'The Godfather' is the best movie I've never seen."  Or "'The Godfather' is on my list of the best movies I've never seen."

But certainly in most contexts the standard expression is "the best/worst/largest/etc. I've ever seen."


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## mohmax

How was your holiday in London ?
It is the most beautiful city I-------.
a- have ever seen
b-never have seen
c- never did see
d- did ever see

what is the right answer ?


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## moustic

What do you think the right answer is?


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## 12reedjas

mohmax said:


> How was your holiday in London ?
> It is the most beautiful city I-------.
> a- have ever seen
> b-never have seen
> c- never did see
> d- did ever see
> 
> what is the right answer ?



'a' is correct. 'It is the most beautiful city I have ever seen. It would be 'ever' not 'never' because in this case you are certain that you have seen London, as you have been on holiday there. 'b' does not make grammatical sense, it would have to be 'have never seen', but even that is unlikely. 'c' does make sense and can be used here in the negative form (i.e. as a parallel to 'have never seen') but sounds rather formal, and 'have never seen' would be more likely to be used. 'd' also makes sense and could be used here in the positive (i.e. as a parallel to 'a') but again, it sounds rather formal, and I would still use 'a'. Personally, though, I would say 'It was the most beautiful city I had ever seen'. I would use 'was' rather than 'is' because you seeing the city occurred in the past not the present, and I would use the pluperfect rather than perfect tense by saying 'had ever seen' instead of 'have ever seen' because the pluperfect fits better in referring to that particular event in time, i.. your holiday to London, whereas the perfect is more suited to saying that you have done something at some unspecified point in the past.

Hope this helps


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