Hi, can you please tell me why the first question in this dialog is in simple present and not in present progressive? Many thanks, Torsten
Toby: [Michael and Holly are still working on the chair] What’d you guys do?
Michael: Oh, there he is. Thought you had gone home already. Why don’t you go home, and come back for the party?
Toby: Well, we still have to do the exit interview.
Michael: Yes we do.[YSaerTTEW443543]
TOEIC listening, photographs: A stroll in the street[YSaerTTEW443543]
I understand it to mean “What did you guys do?”, i.e. a question about a past action.
Not to be confused with “What d’you guys do?”, which is present tense.
The first question would be in the present simple if you wrote it like this, “What d’you guys do?”
Is it a typo?
“What’d” should be short for “What would”, but I don’t think it makes much sense in this context.
WW
Sorry, Dozy was faster than me.
Based on Dozy’s response I understand the following.
“What’d you do” means “What did you do”
“What d’you do” means “What do you do”
I guess “What’d you do” can also mean “What would you do”
Is that correct?[YSaerTTEW443543]
TOEIC listening, photographs: At the lathe[YSaerTTEW443543]
I don’t think I personally say “what’d” when I mean “what would”.* In casual speech, my “what would” does degenerate somewhat, but I don’t think it ever fully becomes “what’d”. I would hardly use “what’d” at all in writing, and never for “what would” However, various sources do give “what would” as a possible expansion, and I guess people vary in this respect. Also, it can be something of a matter of opinion to judge whether someone is really saying “what’d”.
*I realise now that this is incorrect. In fact, I do say “I don’t know what’d happen if…”, to give one example. However, I would never say “What’d you guys do?” for “What would you guys do?”. I don’t know why there should be this difference.