It's time I did / do my homework.
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.
Re: It's time I did / do my homework.
This American would use "did."
Re: It's time I did / do my homework.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Barb_D
This American would use "did."
This Englishman would use "did".
Re: It's time I did / do my homework.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Tan Elaine
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.
NOT A TEACHER
Take a look at this entry form Practical English Usage, p. 286:
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.
It's "did" in both AmE and BrE.
Re: It's time I did / do my homework.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Chicken Sandwich
It's "did" in both AmE and BrE.
And probably in the rest of the English-speaking world besides.
Rover
Re: It's time I did / do my homework.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Chicken Sandwich
NOT A TEACHER
Take a look at this entry form Practical English Usage, p. 286:
It's "did" in both AmE and BrE.
It's time can aslo be followed by a subject with a past tense verb. The meaning is present.(Practical English Usage, p. 286)
If "It's time" followed by a subject with a present tense verb, is it natural?
Thanks.
Re: It's time I did / do my homework.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Winwin2011
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.'
Re: It's time I did / do my homework.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Winwin2011
If "It's time" is followed by a subject with a present tense verb, is it natural?
I can't think of a natural-sounding context for that, but 'it's time' is often followed by an infinitive.
'It's time (for me) to do my homework.'
Rover