Learn English – Present perfect with “today”

present-perfect

Which one is right and why?

Have you seen her today

Or

Did you see her today

I think the latter, because the day isn't over yet.

Best Answer

I would generally use "Have you seen her today?".

However, if I were expecting that the person might have seen her at a particular time or in a particular place or at a certain event or function - for example, perhaps they have a class together - then I might be more likely to ask "Did you see her today?".

If I knew that the two were planning to see each other, or if the person I'm asking about was giving a performance (for example), then again "Did you see her today?" might seem appropriate.

Also, towards the end of the day (for example, when I'm about to go to bed), I might find "Did you see her today?" appropriate because the day is effectively at an end.

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