they responded vs they respond

Both "they responded" and "they respond" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "They responded" is in the past tense, indicating that the action of responding has already taken place. On the other hand, "they respond" is in the present tense, indicating that the action of responding is currently happening or is a habitual action.

Last updated: March 29, 2024 • 2084 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that the action of responding has already taken place in the past.

"they responded"

Use "they responded" when referring to an action of responding that has already occurred in the past.

Examples:

They responded to the email yesterday.
When I asked for help, they responded immediately.

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Israeli troops were pelted with stones and they responded with tear gas and rubber bullets.
Apparently they responded to a 9-1-1 call in that area.
You see how they responded to me?
The Polish contractor was prosecuted; they responded by taking the case to court, and the ECJ recently voted in favour of the Polish subcontractor.
Of all the narratives their fears wrote, they responded only to the most lurid, the most vivid, the one that was easiest for their imaginations to picture: cannibals.
We also have the right to know which countries responded in a certain way, and why it is that they responded in a non-transparent way without leaving us a minimum of doubt, because we still have our doubts whether there was any business.
They responded: "Cannot identify, requisition cancelled".
They responded to a 911 call, when they got here, he was bandaged up already.
They responded to a call at the Eckhouse residence about a month ago.
They responded by resorting to film censorship, an action which undermines the right of free expression.
We submitted the draft to them, they responded back to us. "Yes, we understand the definition.
And they responded to him with warmth.
When you destroyed the nanites, they responded by interfering with our life support.
Police officers were fired upon, and they responded appropriately.
Local cops, they responded to the explosion.
Tunisia - The EU reviewed initiatives under preparation to ensure that they responded to immediate challenges.
Yes, I think they responded to that very well actually.
Flack said the front door was bolted from the inside when they responded to the 91 1 call.
I mean, we came in with guns blazing, and they responded with an olive branch.
As regards the comments of SIC on Article 11(2) of Law No 21/92, they responded that the Portuguese legislator did not grant public undertakings specific tax benefits in the event of business conversion or restructuring.

Alternatives:

they have responded
they had responded
they were responding
they had been responding
they had already responded

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that the action of responding is currently happening or is a habitual action.

"they respond"

Use "they respond" when referring to an action of responding that is currently happening or is a habitual action.

Examples:

They respond to customer inquiries promptly.
Whenever I call, they respond quickly.

Show examples from the web [+]

And when asked that question, they respond with 6,000 different voices.
Better pull back and see if they respond.
When threatened, they respond as any nation-state would.
Good thing is, witnesses are like children - they respond to bribes and threats.
Insufficient numbers of patients aged 65 years of age and older have been treated with nelarabine to determine whether they respond differently than younger patients (see sections 4.4 and 5.2).
Clinical studies of nelarabine did not include sufficient numbers of patients aged 65 and over to determine whether they respond differently from younger patients.
However, they respond in different measures to the guidelines set out by the European Union's Council.
In doing so, they respond to reservations by the Director General of Budget in his annual activity report for 2001.
Member States which are geographically close to each other have common challenges and objectives, to which they respond by seeking solutions through regional cooperation.
They're pacifists, and this is how they respond to being held hostage.
When these myriad cultures of the world are asked the meaning of being human, they respond with 10,000 different voices.
The dog or the baby is a social conduit to the person, and you can tell by how they respond whether they're open to talking more.
Clinical studies of APTIVUS did not include sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 and over to determine whether they respond differently from younger subjects (see section 5.2).
Neurophysiologists have found neurons in the brain that respond to other people's actions the same way they respond to our own.
Elderly: insufficient numbers of elderly patients have been evaluated in clinical studies of the components of Atripla to determine whether they respond differently than younger patients.
But if they respond, there's a range of other people around, who are innocent people who might also get hurt - be collateral damage that the military often doesn't want to talk about.
The controls are isomorphic - one to one - they respond only to me.
Indeed, as we have seen in recent referendums, people are questioned regarding the institutions and the treaties, but in fact they respond on the basis of the progress of European integration, and finally on Europe's policies.
In many cases they respond to speculative movements, so the increases in the prices of final products are greater, as has been said, in percentage terms, than the increases in the prices of raw materials.
The fighters set ambushes to attack security forces and steal their equipment when they respond to LRA attacks, and LRA fighters also target and loot villages that do not have a military presence.

Alternatives:

they are responding
they have been responding
they will respond
they are going to respond
they are about to respond

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they responded vs they respond

"they responded"

"they respond"

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