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Grammar: When to Use Do, Does, and Did
3-minute read
- 12th August 2022
Verbs are essential to creating complete sentences, as they help us express physical actions ( She jumped in the puddle) , mental actions ( He thought about puppies) , and states of being ( I am hungry) .
There are several types of verbs that can each be written in different tenses, so they can be tricky to work with, especially if English isn’t your first language . We’ve put together a guide to help you use one of the most common verbs, do , in your writing . Read on below to learn more!
Action Verbs
As the name suggests, action verbs are used to express actions completed by the subject of a sentence. The base verb do is conjugated according to the tense:
1. Present Tense
In the present tense, do takes the form do or does, depending on the subject:
Consider the following examples:
We do our homework every night.
She does her homework every night.
2. Past Tense
In the simple past tense , the base verb do takes the form did with all subjects:
We did our homework last night.
She did her homework last night.
Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary , or helping verbs, are used with another base verb to create negative sentences, questions, or add emphasis. Here’s how do should be used as an auxiliary verb:
1. Negative Sentences
Following the same subject–verb pairings introduced above, we combine the auxiliaries do , does , and did with the adverb not to create negative sentences:
We do not do our homework every night.
She did not do her homework last night.
Note that we can combine the auxiliary and the adverb to create the contractions don’t , doesn’t , and didn’t . You simply remove the space between the two words and replace the letter o in not with an apostrophe (’).
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Contractions are more common in conversations and informal writing and typically shouldn’t be used in formal writing (e.g., academic or business).
2. Questions
To create questions, the auxiliary is combined with the infinitive of another verb in this way: auxiliary verb + subject + infinitive verb .
● Simple present questions:
Do they sell children’s books?
Does he speak English?
Note that the third person verb speaks isn’t spelled with the s when paired with the auxiliary to form a question.
● Simple past questions:
Did you buy anything at the bookstore?
Did he learn how to speak English?
Note that did indicates the past tense, so the main verbs don’t also take the past tense (i.e., bought and learned ).
3. Emphasis
In positive sentences, we can also combine the auxiliaries do , does , and did with the main verb to emphasize that something is true:
We do sell children’s books.
He did learn to speak English.
Try saying these sentences aloud and adding emphasis to the auxiliary terms with your tone. It adds a dramatic effect!
Proofreading and Editing Services
Hopefully, this guide will help you feel more confident when using different forms of the verb do in your writing. If you’re still learning or want to be sure your work is error-free, our editors are ready to help. You can upload a free trial document today to learn more!
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English Notes
English notes latest questions, ram said to me, “did you do your homework” change into indirect speech.
Indirect Speech: Ram asked me if I had done my homework.
Explanation: When the reporting verb is in the past (said) and the direct speech is in the past indefinite tense, then the indirect (reported) speech will change into the past perfect tense.
Past Indefinite Tense > Past Perfect Tense. And if the sentence is interrogative, we use the reporting verbs – asked, enquired, etc.
Note: While answering to “yes or no questions”, we use if or whether.
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Did You vs. Have You
What's the difference.
"Did you" and "have you" are both interrogative phrases used to ask questions in English. However, they differ in terms of tense and the type of information they seek. "Did you" is used to inquire about past actions or events, while "have you" is used to inquire about present or ongoing actions or states. For example, "Did you go to the store yesterday?" asks about a specific action that occurred in the past, while "Have you finished your homework?" asks about the current status of completing a task.
Further Detail
Introduction.
When it comes to English grammar, understanding the differences between different verb tenses is crucial. Two commonly used verb tenses that often confuse English learners are "Did You" and "Have You." While both verb forms are used to ask questions, they have distinct attributes that set them apart. In this article, we will explore the characteristics of "Did You" and "Have You" to help you gain a better understanding of their usage.
Usage of "Did You"
"Did You" is a past tense verb form that is used to ask questions about completed actions or events. It is commonly used to inquire about someone's past experiences, actions, or habits. For example:
- Did you go to the party last night?
- Did you finish your homework?
- Did you enjoy your vacation?
As seen in the examples, "Did You" is used to ask about specific actions or events that occurred in the past. It is important to note that "Did You" is always followed by the base form of the verb, regardless of the subject. This makes it a straightforward verb form to use when asking questions about the past.
Usage of "Have You"
"Have You" is a present perfect tense verb form that is used to ask questions about past actions or events that have a connection to the present. It is commonly used to inquire about someone's experiences, actions, or achievements up until now. For example:
- Have you ever traveled to Europe?
- Have you finished your work for today?
- Have you seen the latest movie?
As seen in the examples, "Have You" is used to ask about someone's experiences or actions that have relevance to the present moment. It implies that the action or event happened at an unspecified time before now. The use of "Have You" indicates that the action or event may have occurred multiple times or is still ongoing.
Forming Questions with "Did You"
When forming questions with "Did You," the auxiliary verb "did" is used to indicate the past tense, while the main verb remains in its base form. The subject of the sentence comes before the auxiliary verb "did." For example:
- Did you eat dinner?
- Did you watch the game?
- Did you call your friend?
As shown in the examples, the subject "you" is followed by the auxiliary verb "did," and then the base form of the verb. This structure is consistent regardless of the subject, making it easy to construct questions using "Did You."
Forming Questions with "Have You"
When forming questions with "Have You," the auxiliary verb "have" is used to indicate the present perfect tense, while the main verb remains in its base form. The subject of the sentence comes before the auxiliary verb "have." For example:
- Have you visited the museum?
- Have you finished your project?
- Have you read the book?
As demonstrated in the examples, the subject "you" is followed by the auxiliary verb "have," and then the base form of the verb. This structure is consistent regardless of the subject, making it easy to construct questions using "Have You."
Key Differences
While both "Did You" and "Have You" are used to ask questions, there are key differences in their usage:
- "Did You" is used to ask about specific actions or events that occurred in the past, while "Have You" is used to ask about past actions or events that have a connection to the present.
- "Did You" is always followed by the base form of the verb, while "Have You" is also followed by the base form of the verb.
- "Did You" is used to inquire about completed actions or events, while "Have You" is used to inquire about experiences, actions, or achievements up until now.
- "Did You" is commonly used to ask about someone's past habits or routines, while "Have You" is used to ask about someone's experiences or actions that have relevance to the present moment.
Understanding the differences between "Did You" and "Have You" is essential for effective communication in English. While "Did You" is used to ask about specific past actions or events, "Have You" is used to ask about past actions or events that have a connection to the present. By grasping the nuances of these verb forms, you can confidently ask questions and engage in meaningful conversations. So, next time you want to inquire about someone's experiences or actions, remember to choose between "Did You" and "Have You" based on the context and time frame you want to refer to.
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Are you finished or have you finished or Did you finished?
- Thread starter Amber_1010
- Start date Aug 31, 2012
Senior Member
- Aug 31, 2012
When a mum wanna know if her kid's homework is done or not so that they can go out. Should she say(British English) 1. Did you finish your homework? 2. Have you finished you homwork? 3. Are you finished with your homework? I'll chose the second one..... << second question deleted >> Thank you.
In AE these would all be idiomatic and equally acceptable. But note: When a mum wanna wants to know if her kid's homework is done or not so that they can go out. Should she say(British English) 1. Did you finish your homework? 2. Have you finished you r hom e work? 3. Are you finished with your homework? I'll chose the second one..... << response to second question deleted >> Thank you
Keith Bradford
In BE: 1. Did you finish your homework at some time in the past, e.g. Did you finish your homework yesterday? 2. Have you finished your homework now. This is the correct answer. 3. Are you finished with your homework = Do you want to continue it or have you done enough for the moment?
Amber_1010 said: When a mum wanna wants to* know if her kid's homework is done or not so that they can go out. Should she say(British English) 1. Did you finish your homework? 2. Have you finished you r hom e work? 3. Are you finished with your homework? Click to expand...
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Yes I did it. and. Yes I have done it. are correct and good responses to the question. It would be normal to reflect the form of the question, so if asked "Did you do your homework?" you would normally say "Yes, I did it." If asked "Have you done your homework?" (which means the same thing) you would answer "Yes, I have done it."
Cumbria, UK. British English. Mar 2, 2019. #13. Since you live in the UK, use "have you done", since you are interested in the situation in the present. I think AmE usage is "did you do". Don't use "the" with "your". "Your homework" is the usual way of saying it. J.
The New York Times. "He asks the kids, 'Did you do your homework? 2. The Guardian. Mr. Michaelson continued, "Did you do your homework on Intersil?" "Yes," Mr. Smith said. 3. The New York Times. If their employers were to listen in (which, as we all know, they can do, but that's a subject for another column) they would hear some variation of ...
Why the sentence you tried doesn't work. Now let's discuss why. [1] I have done it before today. doesn't work in your case. It is an acceptable sentence of English, but it is probably not how that conversation would actually go. In your context, it sounds awkward. To explain why, let's consider the following sentence:
If you already know who has done it, no. It gives the person the opportunity to say, no. If he has done it, a more proper rebuke would be to ask why he has done it. +1, but there is considerable room for flexibility here. 'Have you ever done it' can be a way of asking if someone has ever borrowed the keys to the wine cellar and helped themselves.
1. @SovereignSun That's part of figuring out if something is a modal or not. But it is tricky, since some verbs are modals in some cases and not in others. As this post explains, need is sometimes modal, sometimes not. Another example is do, as it is not a modal in "You did your homework".
Consider the following examples: We did our homework last night. She did her homework last night.. Auxiliary Verbs. Auxiliary, or helping verbs, are used with another base verb to create negative sentences, questions, or add emphasis.Here's how do should be used as an auxiliary verb:. 1. Negative Sentences. Following the same subject-verb pairings introduced above, we combine the ...
1. The New York Times. "You did your homework on that one, Dick," a cadet said. 2. The New Yorker. "My mother told me if you did your homework then things would be fine. 3. The Guardian. Sure, you did your homework and wrote a great history report — but this test is going to find out how smart you really are.
I 've already finished my homework. We use yet in negative sentences and questions to talk about things that we expect to happen soon. Yet goes at the end of the sentence. Have you finished your homework yet? I haven't finished my homework yet. Recently. We often use the present perfect with recently to talk about past recent actions.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK meaning: 1. to study a subject or situation carefully so that you know a lot about it and can deal with it…. Learn more.
Without further ado, the correct verb to use with "homework" is "do", not "make": correct I did my homework yesterday. wrong I made my homework yesterday. "Homework" is not in any way special in this respect. We always use "do" with activities and "make" with objects that are being made. Just like ...
1 Answer. Indirect Speech: Ram asked me if I had done my homework. Explanation: When the reporting verb is in the past (said) and the direct speech is in the past indefinite tense, then the indirect (reported) speech will change into the past perfect tense. Past Indefinite Tense > Past Perfect Tense. And if the sentence is interrogative, we use ...
You would never use "Did you were" in proper English, because "did" is the past tense of "do," a verb. Example: "I did my homework last night." Also, you could correctly ask, "Did you stay home last night?"
Understanding the differences between "Did You" and "Have You" is essential for effective communication in English. While "Did You" is used to ask about specific past actions or events, "Have You" is used to ask about past actions or events that have a connection to the present. By grasping the nuances of these verb forms, you can confidently ...
One of the reasons English uses "do" and other auxiliary verbs is because we do not have specific verbal conjugations as they do in Spanish and other Romance languages. In fact, we only have two verb forms in the present tense: Singluar and Plural: I work, You work, We work, They Work. 3rd Person Singular: He/She/It work s.
Do - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
The present perfect is always "a little closer to the present" than the simple past (preterite) tense; hence I would say "have you done your homework?" if the person was recently doing their homework, and "did you do your homework?" if it happened slightly earlier in the day. Really, though, there is no difference.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK definition: 1. to study a subject or situation carefully so that you know a lot about it and can deal with it…. Learn more.
"Are you done" asks about whether you have finished something that you have started. "Have you done" also asks if you have finished, but whether you have even started is uncertain. ("Are you done" can also be used in a "correcting" or "accusatory" way, where the asker knows full well you haven't started and that is the point he is trying to make.
Definition of did your homework in the Idioms Dictionary. did your homework phrase. What does did your homework expression mean? Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary.
English-Ireland (top end) Oct 26, 2010. #5. This could be another example of the AE/BE variation in the use of past/present perfect. In this part of the world, the "Did you do your homework yet," version would be very odd indeed. Slightly less odd would be "Did you do your homework." (Leaving out "yet".) The natural version is "Have you done ...
Did you do your homework? - Yes, but I didn't understand it very well. ¿Hiciste tu tarea? - Sí, pero no la entendí muy bien. 2. (used to address multiple people) a. hicieron su tarea (plural) Boys, did you do your homework? - Not yet, Mom.Chicos, ¿hicieron su tarea? - Todavía no, mamá.
In BE: 1. Did you finish your homework at some time in the past, e.g.Did you finish your homework yesterday? 2. Have you finished your homeworknow.This is the correct answer. 3. Are you finished with your homework = Do you want to continue it or have you done enough for the moment?