as they did

USAGE SUMMARY

"as they did" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You can use it when you want to indicate that something is being done in the same way as was previously done. For example: "They ran across the field as they did yesterday."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

As they did, their access diminished.

The New York Times - Magazine

As they did on April 6.

The New York Times - Sports

As they did, there were inherent risks.

The New York Times - Sports

Just as they did from 2010 to 2011.

The New York Times

These guidelines failed as they did not consider local conditions.

Wetland Systems to Control Urban Runoff

And they laughed as they did it.

The Guardian - Opinion

They still believe as they did before".

The New York Times

She worked as hard as they did.

The New York Times - Sports

Led as well as they did.

The New York Times - Sports

You see the scene as they did.

The Guardian - Arts

As they did, as they do.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "as they did", verify that the subject performing the current action is different from the subject that performed the past action to avoid redundancy.

Common error

Avoid using "as they did" without clearly establishing who 'they' refers to. Ensure the referent is explicitly mentioned earlier in the sentence or in the preceding context to prevent ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as they did" functions as a comparative conjunction, linking two clauses by indicating a similarity in action or behavior. It introduces a subordinate clause that provides a comparison to the action in the main clause. Ludwig AI confirms its correct grammatical usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Science

15%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Formal & Business

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "as they did" serves as a comparative conjunction, drawing parallels between actions, a function confirmed by Ludwig AI. Predominantly found in News & Media, but also present in scientific and academic writing, its neutral tone ensures versatility across various contexts. Ludwig examples highlight that the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used. When employing "as they did", ensure that the 'they' is clearly defined to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives like "like they did" offer similar meanings, each with subtle differences in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

like they did

Replaces "as" with "like", maintaining the comparative meaning with a slightly more informal tone.

as they had done

Emphasizes the completion of the action in the past using the past perfect tense.

just as they did

Adds emphasis to the similarity of the actions being compared.

in the same way they did

Rephrases the comparison to highlight the manner in which the action was performed.

similarly to how they did

Focuses on the similarity in method or approach.

in a similar fashion as they did

Uses more formal language to convey the similarity in action.

correspondingly to their actions

Implies a direct relationship or consequence between actions.

paralleling their previous actions

Highlights the parallel nature of the actions being compared.

akin to their behavior

Compares the actions to a general pattern of behavior.

following their example

Emphasizes that the actions are being copied or imitated.

FAQs

How can I use "as they did" in a sentence?

You can use "as they did" to compare a current action to a past action performed by others. For example, "The students approached the problem "as they did" in the previous exercise".

What are some alternatives to "as they did"?

Alternatives include phrases like "like they did", "just as they did", or "in the same way they did", depending on the desired nuance.

Is it correct to say "as they done" instead of "as they did"?

No, "as they done" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is ""as they did"", using the past tense of the verb "to do".

What's the difference between "as they did" and "as they do"?

"As they did" refers to a past action, while "as they do" refers to a present or habitual action. For example, "They celebrated the victory "as they did" last year," versus "They celebrate every victory "as they do" now".