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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

What's the difference between did and have done ?

I've searched a lot and I only found one :
did - with specified time
have done - no specified time
Yet someone can say "I did this" without specifying time, so what are the real differences ?
  

Top answer

Anonymous did - with specified time have done - no specified time Not quite as you have it. OK .................... OK ....................

— CalifJim

  • Anonymous did - with specified time have done - no specified time Not quite as you have it.
  • OK ....................
  • OK ....................
  • OK If you don't specify the time, both past and present perfect are grammatically correct.
  • The problem in such cases is determining which is the more appropriate, not which is grammatical.
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6 Answers
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Anonymousdid - with specified time have done - no specified time
Not quite as you have it.

...........................................Past................Present Perfect

Specified Time.......................OK .................... NO

No Specified Time .................OK .................... OK

If you don't specify the tim
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CalifJimThe problem in such cases is determining which is the more appropriate, not which is grammatical.
And, the problem arises!
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NugsoAnd, the problem arises!
Again and again. On some days I think at least 40% of the questions we get on EnglishForward are on this very topic.
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Thank you, CalifJim for the help. Could you please elaborate on the "appropriateness": could you please provide some examples both ways.
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"I have done this job for twenty years": is '20 years' a specification enough to use 'did': 'I did this job for 20 yrs'.
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I have done this job for twenty years = The speaker probably still does the job now.
I did this job for 20 years = The speaker no longer does the job.
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