Already, Still, Yet (Grammar)

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ALREADY

Already=soonerthanexpected Alreadycancomebetweentheauxiliary andthemainverborattheendofthe clause.

Mike’salreadyleft.

Isitseveno’clockalready?

I’vealreadypaidthebill. Sometimesalreadycomesattheendof thesentenceforemphasis:

I’vepaidthebillalready. Negativeswith“already”arenotvery common.Theyrefertothingswhich shouldhavehappenedbeforetheydid.

I’msurprisedthattheyhaven’t alreadytoldmethenews.

YET

Yet=untilnow.Weuseyettoshowthatwe areexpectingsomethingtohappen. Weuse“yet”inquestionsandnegative sentences.Itusuallygoesattheend ofasentence,andweoftenuseitwith thepresentperfect.

Haveyoudecidedwhattodoyet?

Hasitstoppedrainingyet?

Ihaven’tsenttheemailyet.

It’s10o’clockandJoeisn’thereyet. Inamoreformalstyleitispossibleto useyetinaffirmativesentences:

Theyhaveyettodiscoverwhether thereareanysurvivors.

STILL

Weusestilltorefertothecontinuationof asituation.Weusuallyputstillinthe normalmidpositionforadverbs (betweenthesubjectandthemainverb, orafterthemodalverborfirstauxiliary verb,orafterbeasamainverb): betweensubjectandmainverb

ShestillgoestoGermanclasses everyweek. afterthemodalverborfirstauxiliaryverb

Icanstilldo50press-upsinarow.

He’sstillstudying. aftermainverbbe

I’mstillhungry. Innegativesentences,“still”comes beforethenegativeverb.

Shestillhasn’tfoundherkeys.

Istillwasn'tsurewhohewas.

Itooktheclocktotherepairshop thoughitstillisn'tworking. stillalsomeans‘inspiteofthis’.

Hehaseverythingheneeds,buthe’s stillunhappy.

B2Grammar

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