All I did was to play vs All I did was playing

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'All I did was to play' is used when emphasizing the action of playing as the only thing done, while 'All I did was playing' is used when emphasizing the continuous or ongoing nature of the playing. The choice between 'to play' and 'playing' depends on the nuance the speaker wants to convey.

Last updated: March 29, 2024 • 1110 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to emphasize the action of playing as the only thing done.

"All I did was to play"

This phrase is used to emphasize that playing was the sole action performed. 'To play' is used to indicate the specific action that was done.

Examples:

All I did was to play basketball all day.
All she did was to play the piano for hours.
All he did was to play video games the whole weekend.

Show examples from the web [+]

I didn't want to play for the Yankees.
I didn't realize you liked to play with dolls.
Pretending I have PMS so I didn't have to play basketball.
I didn't even learn to play the piano.
I didn't even know how to play squash.
I didn't expect you to play it straight.
Suddenly I didn't need to play sick anymore.
I didn't want to play cards anyway.
And they wanted me to play myself... so I did.
All I need is a rock'n'roll band Somewhere to play...
And I would sit around with it, and I didn't know how to play it, but I would just play stuff as sad as I could play.
The film was the first thing I'd been given where I didn't have to play a rock 'n' roll star for a start.
It's for cory and carrie to play pretend house, Just like I did.
I didn't want to play my ace in the police station.
I wanted to play and I didn't bring him his lunch.
I didn't expect him to play at my party for nothing.
Fbi was just a fallback 'cause I didn't have the goods to play pro ball.
And eventually, over time, I didn't have to play the stage fright song at all.
I'm not going to play my own composition today because, although I did finish it, it's way too long.
Don't you know how to play A simple game? I did when I was 8.

Alternatives:

All I did was play
All I did was to have played
All I did was to be playing
All I did was to be played
All I did was to have been playing

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to emphasize the continuous or ongoing nature of the playing.

"All I did was playing"

This phrase is used to emphasize that playing was the only continuous or ongoing action performed. 'Playing' is used to indicate the ongoing nature of the action.

Examples:

All I did was playing basketball all day.
All she did was playing the piano for hours.
All he did was playing video games the whole weekend.

Show examples from the web [+]

All I did was level the playing field.
I did. I was playing around with the numbers last night.
I didn't tell friends who listened to these records who was playing what.
For the first few months, I didn't even realize I was playing with real money.
I was playing checkers with Mr Potter and I didn't realise.
Play what you was playing before.
Chuck was playing in segregated cities.
Everyone at the Tour was playing angles.
So the kid was playing soldier.
Mayor gunderson was playing golf last week
And she was playing in the backyard.
And apparently it was playing everywhere.
His first mistake was playing keno.
DV8Avenger was playing against you when he died.
Malcolm X was playing on cable.
The power of editing and black and white cinematography add a kind of cruelty that I didn't feel while I was playing it.
I didn't like the game I was playing, so I hit the reset button.
I was playing games... when he was playing music for kings and emperors.
All I got to say is, it's lucky I didn't catch Sarah Jane playing such pranks.
This song was playing when his ship returned from the Cuban blockade.

Alternatives:

All I did was play
All I did was played
All I did was to play
All I did was to have played
All I did was to be playing

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All I did was to play vs All I did was playing