have never been able

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "have never been able" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express a lack of ability to do something at any point in time up to the present. Example: "I have never been able to solve that complex math problem, no matter how hard I try."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

"They have never been able to give us concrete numbers".

The New York Times

I have never been able to figure it out.

The New York Times - Sports

We have never been able to find much common ground.

The New York Times - Magazine

And men have never been able to resist its challenge.

The Guardian

We talked as we have never been able to before.

The Guardian - Opinion

I have never been able to be smart.

The Guardian

And I have never been able to learn anything else.

The Guardian - Film

I have never been able to afford both since then.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

But western brewers have never been able to compete with Japanese ones on their home turf.

The Economist

I have never been able to learn the reason for this.

The New Yorker

I have never been able to find the logic or coherence in that.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have never been able" to clearly express a long-standing inability to perform a specific action or understand something. This conveys a sense of persistent challenge.

Common error

Avoid shifting tenses when using "have never been able". Ensure the surrounding sentences maintain a consistent past or present perfect tense to avoid confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have never been able" functions as a verbal phrase indicating a lack of past or present capacity or opportunity to perform a particular action. As Ludwig confirms, it is a standard expression of inability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Formal & Business

1%

Science

1%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "have never been able" is a grammatically sound and very common phrase used to express a continuing inability or lack of opportunity. As indicated by Ludwig, its usage is appropriate in a range of contexts, primarily within news and media. While it's important to maintain tense consistency, using "have never been able" effectively communicates a persistent challenge or incapacity. For alternative phrasing, options like "have always struggled to" or "have been unable to" offer nuanced variations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have been unable to

A more formal and direct synonym, indicating a lack of capability.

have been incapable of

Emphasizes a fundamental inability or lack of competence.

have lacked the ability to

Focuses on the absence of a specific skill or capacity.

have always struggled to

Emphasizes ongoing difficulty rather than complete inability.

have found it impossible to

Emphasizes the perceived impossibility of something.

have not managed to ever

Highlights a lack of success in achieving something up to now.

have not had the capacity to

Highlights a lack of resources or skills.

have yet to succeed in

Indicates that success hasn't happened but is still possible.

have consistently failed to

Focuses on repeated unsuccessful attempts.

have never had the chance to

Indicates a lack of opportunity rather than ability.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "have never been able" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using "have been unable to" or "have lacked the capacity to". These options convey a similar meaning with a more professional tone.

Is it correct to say "I had never been able" instead of "I have never been able"?

Using "I had never been able" shifts the focus to a point in the past before another past event. "I "have never been able"" refers to any point up to the present.

What's the difference between "have never been able" and "could never"?

"Have never been able" emphasizes a lack of ability throughout a period up to the present, while "could never" expresses a general impossibility or strong lack of potential in the past.

What are some alternatives to "have never been able" that don't focus on inability?

If you want to shift the focus, you could say "have always struggled to" which emphasizes difficulty, or "have not managed to ever" focusing on the absence of success.