What is the difference between I have done and, I did?

I should add, beyond the obvious difference that one has 3 words the other has 2. and use the words done and did.

Just a shot here. To me, ‘I did’ seems definitive, and refers to a specific incident in the recent past (‘I did the dishes.’), while ‘I have done’ seems less definitive and points to the fact that I have done something in the past and may again in the future (‘I have done an insentive thing or two in my time.’).

That could be completely wrong. Let’s see what Jeruba or Gail have to say.

the same as I fell and I have fallen, it’s 5th grade, remember

“I did” is the simple past, used for a completed action that does not continue into the present; it’s all over. Adverbs and adverbial phrases that modify the verb help us know just how much over it is:

—I did my homework last night.
—I did my homework every night all through school.
—I did my homework on time.
—I did not do my homework.

“I have done” is the present perfect (past perfect would be “I had done”), used for an action performed at some time prior to the present but that may or may not extend into the present. It’s also used for habitual action.

—I have done all my homework for today.
—I have done my homework every night for a week.
—I have always done my own homework.
—I have never done my homework on time.

Tuesday night
Mom: Have you done your homework?
Bob: I haven’t done my homework yet.

Wednesday morning
Sam: Did you do your homework?
Bob: No, I didn’t.

In the first case, the possibility of Bob’s doing his homework is still open. In the second, it’s closed.

Also if I may add to the above (just to confuse you a little):
Wednesday morning in class
Teacher: Have you done your homework?
Bob: Yes. I did it last night.

I should add here that the simple past form for such actions is more common in American english (eg the American teacher could just as easily say “did you do your homework” in the above example). And that you should always read Jeruba’s answer in these questions :)

@Jeruba – That was like a mini-refresher course, and a real pleasure to read.

I knew Jeruba would have a better explanation!

Happy to help. I really love this stuff, and I know I’m among many here who do. That is truly a treat for me. In most settings (even among the professional writers I work with!), anything that appeals to grammarians makes others run screaming. And your summons was pretty hard to resist, @augustlan.

I appreciate your addition, @Jack79, and I’d like to add one more:

She lived for a hundred years. (She’s dead.)
She has lived for a hundred years. (She’s still alive.)

I think LKid’s fiance is correct, though: most of us use these constructions correctly without thinking about them, much less analyzing them. Many a non-native speaker has studied the forms of English better than we have.

“i done it.”
one is redneck.
hahah

What I usually tell my (non-native) students is that Grammar was invented to explain a language that already existed, it’s not really a rule about how we “should” speak. If everyone in Redneckistan wants to say “I done it” then there will one day be a Redneckistani dialect, maybe even a Redneckistani language and obviously all the Redneckistani Grammar books would have to be re-written to include “I done it”. That’s how new languages are formed :)

(I am in no way implying that the Southern states are about to linguistically break away anytime soon, just using it as an example).

all this from the guy who once wrote a song called “ain’t got no blues no more”

“What you doin’ in here playin’ them video games? You do your homework?”

“Ma, I done did it!”

Now, what you got there, @aprilsimnel, is the past plusifaxious.

lol

I have done=is completed.I did=It took yust a while.

Jeruba – Please help! My husband says that I use the PP tense too much, when I should really be using the simple past. OK, some of your examples are clear; I get it. However, some instances are not clear as to why one can’t use PP vs simple past—like the example with the teacher on Wednesday morning—the hubby would claim that simple past is more correct. Here’s an example of his correction without going into detail: I asked: “Had you done that last night?” And he replied: “See, you just did it again; you should’ve asked ‘Did you do that last night!’” Thank you!

Steve6..wake up man. She states clearly they are not native english speakers. Maybe you should take lessons in your own language with basic skills in ‘comprehension’