Monday, February 4, 2013

grammaticality - Grammar Question: "have never read"


I am afraid I have never read Life of Pi, the novel by Yann Martel.




Is this sentence wrong? If not wrong, is it sloppy? To me it seems more appropriate to say:





I am afraid I never read Life of Pi, the novel by Yann Martel.




If neither is wrong, which is the better way of writing?



If possible, could you also contrast the inclusion/exclusion of "have" in the "have never" in the sentences below?






  1. I have never read anything so stupid in my entire life.

  2. I have never been to the USA.

  3. I have never eaten at that restaurant.

  4. I never read the books; I only attended the lectures.

  5. I never lied.

  6. I have never lied. [sentence seems wrong]





On a side note, would the sentence be improved if it is made less wordy?




I never read Yann Martel's Life of Pi.


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