# DID

/ˈdɪd/ (US) · /dˈɪd/ (UK) · CEFR A1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/did
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

the past tense of 'do'. You use it to talk about actions or tasks that someone finished in the past.

For teachers: the past tense of 'do'. Functions as the past-tense form of the lexical verb or as an auxiliary for questions, negation, and emphasis.

## Examples

- I did my homework last night.
- She did everything she could to help the team win the championship game last weekend.
- Although the committee did approve the initial proposal, they requested several significant revisions before the final project could move into the implementation phase.

## Pitfalls

- Not "Did you went to the store?" but "Did you go to the store?" — When using 'did' as an auxiliary in a question, the main verb must remain in its base form, not the past tense.

## Usage notes

- As an auxiliary, it is followed by the base form of the main verb in questions and negatives.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.