Saturday 17 November 2007

Yet, Already or Still?



If you doubt about this topic try this new BBC Challenge lesson: quiz 1, quiz 2 and use the grammar

We use 'still' to talk about something, a situation or an action, that's continuing, often for a longer time than expected. It hasn't changed or stopped. 'Still' usually goes in the middle of the sentence, before the verb.

Are you still married to him?
Is she still unemployed?
I'm still living with my parents.

We use 'yet' mostly in questions and negative sentences. Using 'yet' shows that we're expecting something to happen or have happened. In spoken English 'yet' almost always comes at the end of the sentence or question and is commonly used with the present perfect.

Questions with 'yet'
Have you tidied your room yet?
Have they seen the film yet?

Negative statements with 'yet'
You haven't met her yet
She hasn't spoken to him yet

We use 'already' to talk about things that have happened, often earlier than expected. It usually goes in the middle or the end of sentence, just before or after the verb and is also commonly used with the present perfect.

Present perfect with 'already'
Have you two already met?
He's already done it
They've already sold their car

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