Can anyone tell me the difference between the following sentences
I HAVEN'T SHAVED TODAY
I DIDN'T SHAVE TODAY.
What can be the meanings.
tell me
I HAVEN'T SHAVED TODAY
I DIDN'T SHAVE TODAY.
What can be the meanings.
tell me
meaning of sentences
Since you're just expressing a fact, so there is no difference between the 2 sentences.
However,
"I haven't shaved today" is slightly more proper or formal.
"I didn't shave today" is something you're more likely to say to your friends or family.
However,
"I haven't shaved today" is slightly more proper or formal.
"I didn't shave today" is something you're more likely to say to your friends or family.
Technically, the first sentence uses the present perfect, whilst the second sentence uses the simple past. The present perfect is usually used to refer to past events which are still relevant to the present, whilst the simple past is usually used to refer to past events which are no longer relevant to the present.
Generally speaking, if one refers to a time which has finished (e.g. yesterday, five minutes ago, last year etc.), then one always uses the simple past. It's more flexible if there is no time mentioned, or if the time has not yet finished (e.g. today, this week, this year etc.).
But all that aside, here's the simple answer in this case:
'I haven't shaved today' sounds more British, whilst 'I didn't shave today' sounds more American. This is because British speakers will often talk about what they 'have done today', whilst American speakers will often rather talk about what they 'did today'. There will always be exceptions to this though.
Generally speaking, if one refers to a time which has finished (e.g. yesterday, five minutes ago, last year etc.), then one always uses the simple past. It's more flexible if there is no time mentioned, or if the time has not yet finished (e.g. today, this week, this year etc.).
But all that aside, here's the simple answer in this case:
'I haven't shaved today' sounds more British, whilst 'I didn't shave today' sounds more American. This is because British speakers will often talk about what they 'have done today', whilst American speakers will often rather talk about what they 'did today'. There will always be exceptions to this though.
I have noticed that the Americans usually use the simple past with with 'yet' and 'already', whilst the Brits use the present perfect. Thus and American would probably say 'Did you shave yet?' whilst a Brit would say 'Have you shaved yet?' But the 'Did...yet' form is now creeping in in the UK, I do catch myself using it sometimes.