Distinguishing Between Did & Done

Did vs Done

Do is an action verb in the English language that takes different forms depending on the sentence’s tense. “Did” is used as the simple past tense, while “done” is used for actions that were completed just before the present but do not extend into the present. This tense is called present perfect. This article will clarify the differences between “did” and “done” through examples and usage.

Did

“Did” refers to a task or job that was completed at some point in the past. When confirming a fact in simple past tense, “did” is used. Here are some examples:

– We did what the teacher asked us to do
– Do you know what Chris did?
– I did my best under the circumstances
– Melinda did the research in this project
– Brian was candid enough to admit he did it.

Done

“Done” is used to describe an activity that has been completed and is not continuing at present. It is usually used in the simple present tense, such as “I’ve done it” and “he has done it.” Here are some examples:

– Well done John!
– Have you done the math project?
– You have done enough exercises for the day
– I have done the cooking so I am free to watch my favorite serial

Key Takeaways

• Did is the simple past tense of do, while done is the present perfect tense of do
• Did refers to a task or job completed at some point in the past
• Done refers to an activity that has been completed and is not continuing at present