Grammar Question: Have you played? vs. Did you play?

Students send us questions. Here are some answers...

Question

Is it okay to use the phrase "There comes a time..."

What is the difference between

Have you ever...

Did you ...

Do you ...

-- Student from Japan

Answer

You asked if it is okay to use the expression “There comes a time”

there comes a time when people who are oppressed need to break the ties that bind them to a ruler...

This is an old way of saying, “Sometimes it is necessary to...."

Sometimes it is necessary for oppressed people to create a new nation.

======

You asked for the difference between

1 do you ever play tennis

2 have you ever played tennis

3 did you play tennis?

Answers

1 = I want to know if you play tennis once or twice a week (usually, every week) ... perhaps we can play together next week?

2 = I want to know if you know how to play tennis. Perhaps you played tennis once or many times...

3 = perhaps you are an old person, you don’t play tennis now, but perhaps I am interviewing you and asking if you played tennis when you were a younger person.

If you have questions, write to LanguageAcademyFlorida@gmail.com.