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I knew what he did. vs I knew what he had done.

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "I knew what he did" is used when referring to a past action that was known at the time it happened. "I knew what he had done" is used when referring to a past action that was known before another past event. The choice between the two depends on the specific timeline of events being described.

Last updated: March 30, 2024 • 820 views

I knew what he did.

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase is used to indicate that the speaker was aware of a specific action that someone did in the past.

Examples:

I knew what he did, but I didn't say anything.
She found out about what he did last summer.
Do you know what he did yesterday?
He never told me what he did.
I knew what he did as soon as I saw the evidence.

Show examples from the web [+]

I told Liam I knew what he did.
I just wanted to tell him I knew what he did.
I knew what my father was. I knew what he did. I...
I knew what he did.
He was always working, but I never really knew what he did.
Well, janneke was my way of finding out why this person that I thought I knew so well did what he did.
I knew what we all knew.
When Jasper called himself replacement I knew what Dante meant.
I guess they suspected I knew what she knew.
I knew they were testing me but I never knew what for.
I knew what was there. I knew the danger. I don't want to die there.
I had mixed feeling when I knew what happened.
I wish I knew what happened.
I knew what we all knew. Kono lost her badge.
I thought I knew what I wanted.
I just wish I knew what triggered it.
Before that happened I thought I knew what love was.
Because I knew what she sang.
I just wish I knew what I needed.
At least when she was burning stuff down I knew what to say.

Alternatives:

I knew what he was doing.
I knew what he has done.
I knew what he has been doing.
I knew what he had been doing.
I knew what he would do.

I knew what he had done.

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase is used to indicate that the speaker was aware of a specific action that someone had completed before another past event.

Examples:

I knew what he had done before he confessed.
She realized what he had done after seeing the evidence.
He finally admitted to what he had done.
I knew what he had done when I saw the consequences.
Do you know what he had done before he left?

Show examples from the web [+]

I came home, and I saw this place, and I knew what he had done.
I knew what he had done to my boy.
Because he also knew what Cyrus had done.
And maybe Pip knew what I had done.
You confessed because you knew what you had done.
It was only then I knew what I'd done.
He calmly confessed to what he had done.
In this moment, Xiomara wanted to kiss Rogelio for what he had done.
One way to repay the labor for what he had done.
But then was horror-stricken by what he had done.
I wanted him to realize what he had done.
Then I saw what he had done.
Julian knew I could never tell Lily what he had done because that would also have exposed my lies.
I knew the minute I heard your voice on the phone you knew what I had done.
Maybe you can say that's an asset or a handicap in the terms of hydrogen because I knew what could be done.
And he's come back to pay us to work for what he had done.
NARRATOR: In fact, that is what he had done.
He didn't want his mother to know what he had done.
In fact, that is what he had done.
It would take time, maybe years to figure out what he had done.

Alternatives:

I knew what he did.
I knew what he was doing.
I knew what he has done.
I knew what he has been doing.
I knew what he had been doing.

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