Difference Between Have & Did

Have vs Did

It is not difficult to understand the difference between “have” and “did” if you know their meanings and usage. These two English verbs differ in terms of their meaning, application, and usage. “Have” is an auxiliary verb used in the formation of present perfect tense forms, while “did” is generally used as the past tense form of the verb “do”. This is the main distinction between “have” and “did”.

Meaning of Have

The verb “have” means to possess, own, or hold. However, when used as an auxiliary verb, it takes on the meaning of the verb it is associated with. In the sentences “I have given ten dollars to my friend today” and “You have not done the work allotted to you”, the auxiliary verb “have” is used in the formation of the present perfect tense. It is often used with the past participle form of verbs, such as “given” and “done”. The auxiliary verb “have” is also used in interrogative sentences, like “Have you ever visited London?” and “Have you gone to his house?”.

Meaning of Did

As “did” is the past tense of “do”, it also means to perform an action, as seen in the sentences “Francis did the work exactly as directed” and “Angela did her homework yesterday”. The word “did” implies completion of an action. The verb “did” is sometimes used with another verb to indicate past action, as in “I did come yesterday” and “Francis did eat fruits yesterday”. In these sentences, “did” combines with the verbs “come” and “eat” to give the sense of past tense. This is a special usage of “did”, which “have” does not have. Both “have” and “did” can be used in interrogative sentences.

Key Takeaways

• “Have” is an auxiliary verb used in the formation of present perfect tense forms, while “did” is generally used as the past tense form of the verb “do”.
• “Have” is often used with the past participle form of verbs, while “did” can combine with a present tense verb to give the sense in past tense.
• Both “have” and “did” can be used in interrogative sentences, but “have” does not have the same special usage as “did”.