Difference between DID and HAD

Category: English || Published on : 2020-08-25 11:12:10 || Author : TILS EDUCATION 7325

There are so many usages and words in English which have very similarities. When we use them, few differences could differentiate between them. In such usage or words, there is one use of Did and Had which generally begets many confusions. There are some minute differences between the use of both.

DID and HAD as Helping Verb
We all know that when we frame a sentence of DID or HAD, both frame the sentence of past tense. But when we frame the sentence of DID, it refers to the relation of the past with now moment or present. In the use of DID, the sentence has the relativity with present moment whereas when we frame sentence of past participle tense with HAD then it also frames the sentence of past but that sentence has no relevancy with the present discussion. It has happened in the past but not has connectivity with now moment. Overall, we can understand that in the dead situations and for dead people we use HAD. It may sound the sentence ungrammatical.
Let’s understand it with an example: -
1. Did you bring water? I wish I did. I am feeling thirsty now.
Here as we can read, Bringing water is the work which has connectivity with the present. And DID is used here as a helping verb.
2. Nelson Mandela had given his speech to motivate people.
Here as we can understand, Nelson Mandela is not alive, so we applied HAD in the sentence. And HAD is used here as a helping verb.

DID and HAD as Main Verb
When we use DID and HAD as the main verb or action verb in our sentence then it comes out in a different form. As we know both are the use of past tense.
DID is the past form of the main verb DO
HAD is the past form of the main verb HAVE
Let’s understand all this with an example: -
1. I did my job very well in previous office. Here DID is used as a main verb in the sentence.
2. I had many projects in October month. Here HAD is used as a main verb in the sentence.