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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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did not worked

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "did not worked" is not correct in written English.
The correct form is "did not work" because "did" already indicates the past tense, so the verb should remain in its base form. Example: "I tried to fix the issue, but it did not work."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Together with the Republican success at turning out the base, that suggests Mr Rove's ambition to win the 2004 election by using social issues to mobilise 4m "missing" evangelical Protestants (who, he says, could have voted for Mr Bush in 2000 but did not) worked triumphantly.Yet there is counter-evidence.

News & Media

The Economist

That attempt did not worked either; the deputy PUK leader Kosrat Rasul refused the request.

News & Media

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

This did not work well.

News & Media

The New York Times

That did not work out.

News & Media

The New York Times

"RBI" didn't work.

News & Media

The New York Times

"Obamanomics didn't work".

News & Media

The New York Times

"Something didn't work?

News & Media

The New York Times

Emmett didn't work.

News & Media

The New Yorker

This didn't work.

News & Media

The Economist

"It didn't work.

Diets just didn't work.

Show more...

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the base form of the verb after the auxiliary verb "did". The correct phrase is "did not work".

Common error

Avoid using the past participle form of a verb (e.g., "worked") after the auxiliary verb "did". The correct structure is "did + not + base form of verb" (e.g., "did not work").

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

89%

Authority and reliability

1.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "did not worked" is an incorrect form intended to express that an action or effort was unsuccessful. Ludwig AI identifies this as a grammatical error, advising the use of "did not work" instead.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "did not worked" is grammatically incorrect; the correct form is "did not work". Ludwig AI confirms this, advising against its use. Although some sources may contain this phrase, it remains a grammatical error. Alternative phrases such as "failed to work" or "did not succeed" are better choices. Remember to use the base form of the verb after "did" to maintain grammatical accuracy. The intended meaning is usually clear from context, but it's best to avoid this phrase in formal writing.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "did not worked"?

The correct way to phrase this is "did not work". The word "did" already indicates the past tense, so the verb should remain in its base form.

Can I use "did not worked" in any context?

No, "did not worked" is grammatically incorrect in standard English. You should always use "did not work".

What are some alternatives to "did not work"?

Alternatives include "failed to work", "was unsuccessful", or "did not succeed", depending on the context.

Is there a difference in meaning between "did not work" and "failed"?

While both indicate a lack of success, "failed" can sometimes imply a stronger sense of inadequacy or deficiency than "did not work", which is a more neutral statement.

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Source & Trust

89%

Authority and reliability

1.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: