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What is the difference between "I never was" and "I was never"? It seems that there is a subtle difference, but I can't quite grasp it. Is one of them informal?

For example:

  • I never was a good cook.
  • I was never a good cook.
tchrist
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jose
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3 Answers3

3

I never was a good cook.

Possible context: Lisa's mother-in-law has pressured her to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for the extended family. Lisa has reluctantly agreed. She made an honest try but made a key mistake and the turkey was a failure. "Well, you know, I never was a good cook."

I was never a good cook.

Possible context: Margaret, in her eighties and living in a nursing home, is being interviewed by a gerontology student. She confides to the student, "I was never a good cook."

aparente001
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I never was a good cook. That sentence shows me that negative emotional answer which means the person never become a good cook. Whereas the other sentence;

I was never a good cook. Shows me that the person is denying something, he knowns already by using no.

mohamed
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"I never was that vulnerable"

Here we are highlighting the never. A strong emotion of past. Now, I am vulnerable, and it seems not good. A negative emotion.

"I was never that vulnerable."

Here it is lacking that strong emotion and is more like a simple statement. I'm vulnerable now, but it's no big deal.

Both mean the same but it's little decoration to highlight negative emotion.

Grv10India
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