i already my homework

Melissa: Have you sent the invitations?

David: Yes, I (1) ______ them yesterday.

Melissa: (2) _______ you send the invitations?

David: Yes, I (3) _______

(Known time period in the past)

John: How long have you been here?

Lisa: I’ve (1) _______ here (2) _______ about 1 hour.

* is used for a length of time (50 minutes, 3 days, 4 hours)

John: Oh, okay. How long have you played the piano?

Lisa: I (3) ______ played the piano since I was 6 years old!

*since is used for a specific point in time (Wednesday, 2010, last week)

(Unknown time period in the past)

Melissa: (4) _______ you shopped for food?

David: Yes, I have.

Melissa: Have you ever skydived?

David: Yes, I actually have (5) ____________ before.

Both games were completed in the past, but simple past emphasizes more a completed past event

In Example A, the Simple Past  form means the game was completed at a specific time in the past, whereas in Present Perfect it is an unknown time.

In Example B, the Simple Past form means the activity started in the past and finished, whereas in Present Perfect it started in the past and still continues to the present.

Regular Verbs: add -ed ( )

Irregular Verbs: Learn them ( )

3 Person Singular (he, she, it): has + past participle

Examples:

All others (I, you, we, they): have + past particle

Examples:

Regular Verbs: add (same form as simple past)

Irregular Verbs: Learn them ( )

G3:  Verbs III - Present Perfect ... already / yet / still

by Tom Rohrbach

Multiple Choice Quiz

Show all questions

•   ?     already
•   ?     yet
•   ?     still
•   ?     Position 1
•   ?     Position 2
•   ?     Position 3
•   ?     Position 4
•   ?     Position 1 only
•   ?     Position 2 only
•   ?     Position 3 only
•   ?     Positions 2 and 3 are both correct
•   ?     Positions 1 and 2 are both correct

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'Have just finished' vs. 'Just finished': What is the difference?

I have just finished my homework. I just finished my homework.

I think there must be a difference in meaning. Could anyone tell me the difference in meaning sentence 1 and sentence 2?

• present-perfect
• past-simple

2 Answers 2

Your examples:

I have just finished my homework.

I just finished my homework.

I think this question is purely about simple past vs present perfect as well as British English vs American English. That's why, you are saying "there must be differences in meaning between them"

As far as the differences in meaning between these sentences is concerned, there is no real differences in meaning between them. As john Lawler mentions in his answer https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/202122/the-correct-usage-of-past-tense-with-just "Different speakers with different habits and experiences will probably see potential distinction or difference to make but nobody will see or make the same ones". Both of these sentences imply the same meaning but tense is different in them, which here doesn't affect their meanings. A speaker choces the one which sounds best to him/her.

The word "just" is commonly used with present perfect tense(most commonly in British English) to indicate that an action has recently happened and influences the present moment of speaking.

According to Cambridge dictionary, http://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/just

''just' as a time Expression'' can mean 'recently or very short time before' or after speaking.

I have just decided to sell my apartment. I'm on the way to the station. The train has just arrived. I have just finished my homework.

Having said that, In American English it's acceptable to use" just" with simple past as well as with present perfect to express that something recently happened.

However, since the language develops over the time, it's widely increasing the use of 'just' with 'simple past' even in British English.

This might be helpfull http://www.eslhq.com/forums/esl-forums/english-questions/past-simple-just-16200/

Simple past vs present perfect

We use Present perfect for actions which started in the past and are still happening now or for finished actions which have a connection to the present.

----A finished action with a result in the present:

I 've lost my keys! (The result is that I can't get into my house now).

We use the past simple for past events or actions which have no connection to the present----

I lost my keys yesterday. It was terrible! (Now there is no result. I got new keys yesterday).

For better understanding check

http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-perfect-or-past-simple.html

I have just finished my homework (BrE, AmE).

I just finished my homework (AmE).

There's no difference in meaning.

The British use the present perfect for recent actions, especially with just, already, and yet. Americans can use either the present perfect or simple past with these words.

• I'm skeptical of your belief about "the British" here. On what do you base this notion? "The British" (whoever they might be) are as wont to eschew the perfect as we colonials. What you say may have been true three decades ago, but today, there's little to choose. –  P. E. Dant Reinstate Monica Commented Oct 22, 2016 at 9:09
• 1 The distinction in usage (American English v British English) is a known difference. But I can't agree they mean exactly the same, as used in the same dialect. In other words, in AmE there is a difference between I just finished... and I've just finished... . –  Alan Carmack Commented Oct 23, 2016 at 2:15
• As a native AmE speaker, I couldn't tell you what the difference in meaning between "I just finished" and "I have just finished" is. As far as I know they are exactly the same, just one more terse than the other. –  Matt Commented Feb 10, 2020 at 16:40

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Third term- already, yet, just (present perfect)

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(already, just, yet)

Present perfect

• I've just seen Sai. He's really enjoying his new job.
• We haven't decided what to do yet.
• I've already had lunch but I'll join you for coffee.
• I have already done my homework.
• I haven't done my homework done yet.

Do you know how to use just, already or just with the present perfect?

Already, just, yet

Before the past participle.

• I've just seen Susan coming out of the cinema.
• Mike's just called. Can you ring him back, please?
• Have you just taken my pen?

Just used with the present perfect means 'a short time before'. Actions that happen RECENTLY

JUST = "ACABAR DE", "JUSTO"

We often use just, yet and already with the present perfect because they are related to the present moment.

• Mary has just finished her homework
• They have just gone to the school.
• It has just started to rain
• Jack and Annie have just danced "la macarena"

Subject + have/has + just + verb P.P + complement

Usually at the end of the sentence.

(-) AÚN - TODAVIA (?) YA

• Have you finished your homework yet?
• I haven't finished it yet. I'll do it after dinner.
• A. Where's Sam? B: He hasn't arrived yet.

Used with the present perfect means 'at any time up to now'. To talk about an action that hasn't been completed, but we expect it to happen soon.

• I haven't eaten lunch yet.
• Have you travelled to London?No, I haven't travelled to Londo yet.
• Melany has bought a new dress but she hasn't worn it yet

Subject + have/has + verb P.P + complement + yet.

• I've already spent my salary and it's two weeks before payday.
• He wanted to see Sudden Risk but I've already seen it.
• The train's left already!

Used with the present perfect means 'before now'. We use it to emphasise that something happened before something else or earlier than expected.

ALREADY = YA

• He has already read the Harry Potter.
• Susan and Simon have already cleaned the house.
• My friend has already spent his salary.

Subject + have/has + already + verb P.P + complement

comebegangottengivengone

feltfounddoneseentold

6. come =7. begin =8. get =9. give =10. go =

1. feel =2. find =3. do =4. see =5. tell =

1. Write the past participle of the following verbs.

Class activity!

We have already watched that film twice

My son has already gone to bed

Have you had breakfast yet?

Has the posman not arrived yet?

a. the postman/yet/ has/ not arrived/ ? _________________________________b. had/you/yet/breakfast/have? _________________________________c. gone/my son/already/to bed/has __________________________________d. twice/we/watched/already/have/film/ that __________________________________

2. Unscramble the sentences with "just - yet - already".

https://wordwall.net/play/2971/288/1527

https://wordwall.net/play/18808/138/922

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Which is correct: “I’m done” or “I have finished”?

Which of these alternatives is grammatically correct?

I have finished

Like I’m done sounds very American, but is it grammatically correct?

• american-english
• british-english
• colloquialisms

• 1 This has nothing to do with grammar. –  tchrist ♦ Commented Feb 9, 2014 at 1:41
• 1 "I am, at present, sensing no need or desire to consume further food." –  Hot Licks Commented May 26, 2015 at 21:10

5 Answers 5

I’m done is grammatical but informal. It is found mainly in American English rather than British English.

• 2 I'm skeptical about the claim that "I'm done" is informal. –  user16723 Commented Feb 8, 2014 at 19:44
• 2 You're entitled to be. I'm a mere Brit. Do you have any authentic examples showing it used in a formal context? –  Barrie England Commented Feb 8, 2014 at 19:51
• 2 @BenCrowell The term I'm done, which I was not previously aware was American (one hears it often enough in Britain), means 'I have finished'. So to be formal wouldn't the expression have to be 'I have done', or 'I've done'. 'I am done' would seem to refer to some personal bodily subjection that one has sustained! –  WS2 Commented Feb 8, 2014 at 20:16
• 1 The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language says that this sense of "done" is found "often, but not exclusively, in casual or informal usage." I'm not convinced that an example proves anything in this kind of situation. An extremely common usage like this will of course exist in formal writing; the question is how commonly it exists, and how commonly in the work of the best writers. –  user16723 Commented Feb 8, 2014 at 21:06
• 2 @WS2: Take a look at the answers by Edwin Ashworth and user61979. Your criticism of the construction as illogical would make sense if "am" was a copula -- although idioms don't have to be logical. But apparently "am" survives in this usage, outside of England, as a remnant of the old-fashioned use of "to be" in forming the past perfect. –  user16723 Commented Feb 8, 2014 at 23:22

'I am done (with my work)' is a straggler from older English.

In Old English, the present perfect was formed somewhat differently. Whereas Modern English uses to have in almost every construction, be it transitive or intransitive, older English used to have with transitive verbs and to be with intransitive verbs. Here are some intransitive examples:

'He is risen.' (ModE 'he has risen.')

'I was come to his house.' (ModE 'I had come to his house.')

'We are fallen from riches.' (ModE 'We have fallen from riches.')

There is no change, however, with transitive verbs:

'I have hit him.' (But never 'I am hit him.')

'I have eaten dinner.' (But never 'I am eaten dinner.')

'He has never liked them.' (But never 'He is never liked them.')

Often, the Modern English verb to do still follows the old paradigm, whence we get the following intransitive construction:

'I am done (with my work).'

And the following transitive construction:

'I have done my work.'

• The link from Edwin Ashworth's answer claims that "I have done [my work]" was replaced by "I am done [with my work]" ca. 1700 in Ireland, Scotland, and America. If it's connected to OE as you say, then maybe it's an archaism that survived and later killed off the newfangled usage in those areas. –  user16723 Commented Feb 8, 2014 at 23:16
• Back when I actually did things, I would very often, in response to a query about progress on some project, respond "I'm done with that" or something similar. "I have finished" would sound rather over-formal in many contexts. –  Hot Licks Commented May 26, 2015 at 22:14
• Can you please provide evidence that this expression with "to be + done" existed in Old English? –  herisson Commented Mar 4, 2017 at 17:38
• @sumelic Since it's been three years, I'm afraid I can't. Truth be told, I'm no longer sure whether to be done existed in Old English at all, only that it parallels a common Old English construction. I'd say I have a tad more academic rigor these days. O how the years change us. –  Anonym Commented Mar 4, 2017 at 20:48
• 1 I see. I'm similarly unsure about this, which is why I downvoted. It seems the "be + past participle" construction was pretty restricted in Old and Middle English; I don't know that much about it, but I looked at the following paper: ling.auf.net/lingbuzz/000588 . There may also be relevant references in the following article, but I haven't had a chance to look for them yet: microsyntax.sites.yale.edu/done-my-homework –  herisson Commented Mar 4, 2017 at 20:59

These short sentences perhaps disguise the fact that there are two questions here.

At Motivated Grammar is an article claiming that 'done' and 'finished' are interchangeable here. There are also comments that 'I'm done' for a person as subject (agent) is more acceptable in general in American English, and others that it is not acceptable at all or in formal speech. Personally, I'd use it in conversation (though more often 'I've done') but usually switch to 'I've finished' if I considered a more formal register preferable.

Looking at the choice of verb/auxiliary, have is obviously an auxiliary forming the perfect in 'I have finished' (and 'I have done'). However, it is arguable that be is the copula followed by a (participial) adjective in 'I am done' (cf 'I am exhausted / I am tired / I am cold). But there are still lingering examples of be used as an alternative auxiliary to have ('I am come' cannot be other, though it is archaic). The question hinges upon whether the -ed form is principally describing a state (participial adjective) or the attaining of that state (past participle), and isn't, I'd say, always easy to resolve.

I'm more likely to say "I'm done" or "I'm through", though I don't see anything wrong with "I've finished".

"I'm done" sounds to me like you've been cooked. I don't like that usage at all.

• Hello, p.l.zeigler. ELU is not a discussion forum; if you can find an authority indicating that 'I'm done' is in some way unacceptable, that would be valid to give as an answer. Personal opinions are not (especially when they are contrary to accepted usage). –  Edwin Ashworth Commented Aug 7, 2015 at 22:50
• It's true that the recent expression "Stick a fork in it—it's done" has the connotation you're talking about, p.l.zeigler, though it is by no means the only possible meaning of "it's done." But you would need to develop that idea (or something like it) to satisfy the threshold requirement for a valid answer on this site that Edwin Ashworth describes in his comment above. –  Sven Yargs Commented Aug 7, 2015 at 23:19

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged american-english british-english formality colloquialisms or ask your own question .

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How to Do Homework: 15 Expert Tips and Tricks

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Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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I already did my homework vs I had already completed my homework

Last updated: March 21, 2024

I already did my homework

This phrase is correct and commonly used to indicate that the homework is finished.

• I already did my homework, so I can go out now.
• She asked me if I had done my homework, and I replied, 'I already did my homework.'

Alternatives:

• I have already finished my homework.
• I completed my homework already.

I had already completed my homework

This phrase is correct and is used to emphasize that the completion of the homework happened before a specific point in the past.

• By the time she asked me about my homework, I had already completed my homework.
• I had already completed my homework when the teacher announced the assignment.
• I had finished my homework already.
• My homework was already completed.

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Advice | Asking Eric: I’m already worried about what…

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Advice | Asking Eric: I’m already worried about what my husband will do at Thanksgiving

I have not reached out to contact this person, and they have not contacted me. But I am consumed with a desire to say something privately to my brother, even if it’s just, “After my DNA testing I was connected with someone from your past, would you like to know more?”

It troubles me that I might go to my grave with this information about my children’s cousin-they-never-had and it sometimes keeps me up at night. Should I just keep my mouth shut for my remaining years, hoping my children don’t do their own DNA testing after I’m gone with no way to learn who this relative is?

– Secret Aunt

Dear Aunt: Put down the cotton swab and step away from the DNA testing site. This situation has all the trappings of a juicy beach read, but as any juicy beach reader knows, things get messy before they get resolved. You don’t need to be the mess-maker.

You don’t have much more information than your brother has – he’s aware he has a child somewhere and he made the choice to cut off contact from the child’s mother. He also has access to DNA testing sites, if he wants. If the child had reached out to you, that would be a different story. But, at present, the parties involved are fine with the status quo.

As to your children’s questions, should they discover a relative through DNA testing, they may reach out on their own. If their cousin responds, he can fill in the gaps in the story just as well as you can, with the added perspective of what it was like for him to grow up a secret.

Dear Eric: My husband is not a cook and really has no connection to food other than he enjoys eating it. For the past couple of years, on Thanksgiving, he has volunteered to carve the turkey. I truly appreciate the offer of help at a very hectic time (trying to get a sundry of different dishes on the table at the same time) and love that he wants to be a part of the meal prep. My problem is he doesn’t carve the turkey, he butchers it, leaving uneven cuts, torn pieces and a pile of unappealing shreds. I always provide a sharp knife, so I know that is not the problem. On top of this, it takes him a long time and the meat is served cold.

I have offered to stand by his side as he “slices” and to remove the cut pieces to the serving platter immediately, while keeping them covered with foil, but he’s afraid he’ll cut me and doesn’t want my fingers in the way. Last year, I showed him a short video from “America’s Test Kitchen” on how to carve a turkey and, unfortunately, it did not render improved results.

I realize Thanksgiving is many months away, but I’ve been stewing over how to approach the fact that his “help” is more of a hindrance.

Any advice on how to coach him to an improved performance, or should I simply be thankful he’s offered and enjoy the shreds?

– Holiday Helpmate

Dear Helpmate: A volunteer is often only as helpful as their training. Enthusiasm is great, but it only takes you so far. Since you’ve offered guidance that hasn’t stuck, kind directness is on the menu this year. A couple options: You can tell him, as you’ve told me, that the way he’s cutting the turkey doesn’t serve your meal and offer to roast a chicken sometime before Thanksgiving for him to practice on. But that also creates more work for you. Instead, try redirection. If he truly wants to be helpful, maybe another task will suit him better and actually help you out. He may be stuck in a traditional mindset that dictates the man of the house carves the turkey (and does the dishes, at least as far as some traditions I’ve observed dictate).

You’re both free to create your own tradition going forward, however. Do you need a helpful sous chef to chop mirepoix or peel potatoes? Say, “I love that you want to be helpful. I’ve thought of a way that you can better help me and our guests. Do you want to try it out?” In the kitchen, many hands make light work if those hands are working toward the same goal.

(Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at [email protected] or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110.)

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