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What is the difference between following two sentences?

When should we use did and have?

Am not sure that the following sentences are right.

  1. I did not answered

  2. I have not answered.

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    Several of your recent questions have been closed. It sounds like you are learning English, so I think your questions might fit in better and get better answers at the English Language Learners Stack Exchange. – herisson Jul 16 '16 at 18:54
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Did - happened in the past.

Example: My mom asked me a question yesterday, I did not answer.

Have - happened in the past but still have impact until now.

Example: My mom asked me a question yesterday, I have not answered.

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  • This is generally correct. I think a good answer should also explain that one of the options listed by the original poster, "I did not answered," is grammatically incorrect. – herisson Jul 16 '16 at 18:56
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The meanings of these two sentences are the same, but the first sentence should be improved. Not "I did not answered" but "I did not answer."

The main difference in the tenses. "I did not answer" is in the past simple tense. It is used to talk about a completed action in a time before now (the duration is not important). The time of the action can be in the recent past or the distant past.

The second sentence is in the present perfect tense; this is used to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc.

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  • Who will explain downvote?????? – Jenny Wilson Jul 16 '16 at 16:16
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    The sentences are not correct. It should be I did not answer, not I did not answered. – Peter Shor Jul 16 '16 at 16:32
  • Sorry. I did bot even noticed that. I was too quick to explain the differences between the tenses. – Jenny Wilson Jul 16 '16 at 16:43
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    The previous downvote wasn't mine - but your drawing attention to it made me review your answer & I have now downvoted it because it is not even written in correct — nor easily read — English: you've failed to capitalise; use paragraphs; use quotation marks; etc.. – TrevorD Jul 16 '16 at 17:18
  • Would be awesome if you show the example and explain how to write it in the way YOU want it! – Jenny Wilson Jul 18 '16 at 9:15

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