[Grammar] I did say / I said

Status
Not open for further replies.

Lemon~Tree

Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2016
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
German
Home Country
Switzerland
Current Location
Switzerland
Hi,

1) I did say you all I knew.
2) I said you all I knew.

Could you explain what is the purpose of the helping verb did in first sentence? What is the meaning difference between both sentences?
 
Where did you find these sentences? Neither one of them is correct as written, so I can't answer your question.
 
Perhaps you mean:
I did tell you everything I knew (about it).
I told you everything I knew (about it).

The second is standard. The first is insisting. Perhaps something like this:

A: [after a long conversation] Well, that's about it.
B: You said you'd tell me everything you knew about it.
A: I did tell you everything about it!
 
In affirmative sentences, we sometimes use do, does, did, followed by the bare infinitive of the main verb to express emphasis:

1. I do love my job. (Present Simple)
2. He does love his job. (Present Simple, third person singular)
3. I did love my job. (Past Simple)

Note: We use "say" and "tell" differently but that's another matter altogether.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top