How come did this happen vs How come this happened?

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'How come this happened?' is the more common and natural way to phrase this question. 'How come did this happen?' is less common but can be used for emphasis or in informal speech.

Last updated: April 10, 2024 • 988 views

This phrase is less common but can be used for emphasis or in informal speech.

"How come did this happen"

This phrase is correct and can be used in informal contexts or for emphasis. It is less common than 'How come this happened?'

Show examples from the web [+]

Jul 28, 2014 ... How come did this happen? PS: Eager to wait for your sincere replies. ASAP :) system August 3, 2014, 9:11pm #6.
How come did this happen? Are we to really on Romeu if something goes wrong with Mikel?And how come we didn't reinforce the attack for god's sake we only ...
Oct 22, 2021 ... r/PlaneCrazyCommunity - How come did this happen. 23. 6 comments. Copy this post's permalink to the clipboard. r/PlaneCrazyCommunity icon ...
Jun 23, 2016 ... How come did this happen?”). In between the games in the first and second session the children can watch an 1-min movie about dealing with ...
Nov 3, 2014 ... How come did this happen when Portugal has an impressive and vast array of poets, novelists and dramaturgs? A recent photo of the portuguese ...

Alternatives:

How come this happened?
Why did this happen?
How did this happen?
Why has this happened?
What caused this to happen?

This phrase is the more common and natural way to phrase this question.

"How come this happened?"

This phrase is correct and commonly used to inquire about the reason for something that occurred.

Alternatives:

How come did this happen?
Why did this happen?
How did this happen?
Why has this happened?
What caused this to happen?

Our Customers Love Us!

We have an average rating of 4.79 stars based on 283125 votes, and

4.9 Excellent - Reviews 2.137

"7 years without any disappointment. Always 100% satisfied. You guys are the best in the world at what you do. Thank you so much :)"

Zubair
from Bangladesh

"I wasn't aware of this service, it's fascinating and more reliable than standard IA tools available on the internet"

Arturo
from Mexico

"In a world of text messages and online communication, this is great to have as a live tool. Thank you."

Selena
from USA

"Wow, it's just so excellent. I never would have believed I could have a sure and excellent English companion. Thanks, TextRanch."

Ifiok
from Nigeria

"This is my first time using TextRanch, and I like how the editors take time to correct my text. To everyone who has never used TextRanch before, I highly recommend trying it."

Wilson
from France

"It is an amazing source of feedback because, as a non-native speaker, I really need to have a reliable helper correct my text."

Susan
from Germany