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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

What have you done in the past?

What have you done in the past?

I heard a native English speaker say the sentence but as far as I know, it should be "What did you do in the past?" What do you think?

Thank you so much.
  

Top answer

Both forms are correct, natural, and common. "Have" is a little bit more formal. I'd say that both would be understood to have the same meaning.

  • Both forms are correct, natural, and common.
  • "Have" is a little bit more formal.
  • I'd say that both would be understood to have the same meaning.
  • In some situations, the present perfect would suggest more than one occurrence, and the simple past would suggest only one: I haven't been able to get my computer to work this time.
  • (reply) What have you done in the past?
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1 Answers
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Both forms are correct, natural, and common. "Have" is a little bit more formal.
I'd say that both would be understood to have the same meaning.

In some situations, the present perfect would suggest more than one occurrence, and the simple past would suggest only one:
I haven't been able to get my computer to work this time. (reply) What have you done in the pa

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