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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Sentence difference

What is the difference between the use of have and did here:

Did you start to work on your project?
Have you started to work on your project?

Are the interchangeable?
  

Top answer

Hi, The first question is in past simple and the second one is in present perfect. The past simple expresses a finished past event and the present indicates an event happened in the past with present results. Hamid

— Hrsanei

  • Hi, The first question is in past simple and the second one is in present perfect.
  • The past simple expresses a finished past event and the present indicates an event happened in the past with present results.
  • Hamid
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7 Answers
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Hi,
The first question is in past simple and the second one is in present perfect. The past simple expresses a finished past event and the present indicates an event happened in the past with present results.

Hamid
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Anonymousdifference
did - event
have - state

CJ
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Sorry, but what do you mean by that?
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AnonymousSorry, but what do you mean by that?
Are you talking to me? (There are two people here responding to you. It would help if you used the quote button to keep things organized here!)

did - You're asking if an event occurred.
have - You're asking what state the listener is in.

It's the same as all cases of the simple past and the
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Yes. I used the reply button under your post and thought it would automatically reply to you. Sorry for the confusion.

So using did in this sentence does not imply anything about the present. Because it is a bit confusing with the word 'start' in the sentence. We just received a project, and I am not sure which one to use when asking a friend if he has started it.

Could you give
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AnonymousSo using did in this sentence does not imply anything about the present.
No, it doesn't, except insofar as you can use logic to make a good guess about the present on the basis of the past, especially if the reported event is not too far in the past.
Anonymousit is a bit confusing with the word 'start' in the sentence.
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Thank you for your clear explanation. I think I understand. Because as you said, in the given case, it sounds like either one would work.
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