It's time I did / do my homework.
Could either word in bold be used? I have been told that Americans use 'do', while the British use 'did'.
Is this the case?
Thanks.
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It's time I did / do my homework.
Could either word in bold be used? I have been told that Americans use 'do', while the British use 'did'.
Is this the case?
Thanks.
This American would use "did."
This Englishman would use "did".Quote:
Originally Posted by Barb_D
NOT A TEACHERQuote:
Originally Posted by Tan Elaine
Take a look at this entry form Practical English Usage, p. 286:
It's "did" in both AmE and BrE.Quote:
306 it's time
2 followed by past tense with present meaning
It's time can also be followed by a subject with a past tense verb. The meaning
is present.
It's time she went to bed. It's time you washed those trousers.
I'm getting tired. It's time we went home.
The expression It's high time ... is often used in this structure in British
English, to say that something is urgent.
It's high time you got a job.
And probably in the rest of the English-speaking world besides.Quote:
Originally Posted by Chicken Sandwich
Rover
It's time can aslo be followed by a subject with a past tense verb. The meaning is present.(Practical English Usage, p. 286)Quote:
Originally Posted by Chicken Sandwich
If "It's time" followed by a subject with a present tense verb, is it natural?
Thanks.
You mean like in, 'It's time they go home'? No, that's not natural. You should say, 'It's time they went home.'Quote:
Originally Posted by Winwin2011
I can't think of a natural-sounding context for that, but 'it's time' is often followed by an infinitive.Quote:
Originally Posted by Winwin2011
'It's time (for me) to do my homework.'
Rover