Tenses & Verb Forms

Yet / Still / Already

1 min read

Yet, still, and already are time adverbs that are often confused. They all relate to time, but they express different ideas: expectation, continuation, or completion.

1. Yet → something expected (not happened)

Use yet in negative sentences and questions to talk about something that has not happened but is expected.

I haven’t finished yet.
Have you eaten yet?

Position: usually at the end of the sentence.

2. Already → something happened earlier than expected

Use already to say something happened before now, often sooner than expected.

I’ve already finished.
She has already left.

Position: before the main verb or after “have”.

3. Still → something continues

Use still to say that a situation continues and has not changed.

I am still working.
She still lives here.

Position: before the main verb (or after “be”).

Key differences

Yet → not now, but expected
Already → sooner than expected
Still → continues over time

Compare

I haven’t finished yet. (= not now)
I’ve already finished. (= done early)
I am still finishing. (= in progress)

💡 Tip

Yet → end of sentence, negative or question
Already → positive, often surprising
Still → ongoing situation

Test your knowledge 📝

Question 1 sur 10Score: 0/10

I haven’t finished ___.

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Tenses & Verb Forms

Yet / Still / Already

1 min read

Yet, still, and already are time adverbs that are often confused. They all relate to time, but they express different ideas: expectation, continuation, or completion.

1. Yet → something expected (not happened)

Use yet in negative sentences and questions to talk about something that has not happened but is expected.

I haven’t finished yet.
Have you eaten yet?

Position: usually at the end of the sentence.

2. Already → something happened earlier than expected

Use already to say something happened before now, often sooner than expected.

I’ve already finished.
She has already left.

Position: before the main verb or after “have”.

3. Still → something continues

Use still to say that a situation continues and has not changed.

I am still working.
She still lives here.

Position: before the main verb (or after “be”).

Key differences

Yet → not now, but expected
Already → sooner than expected
Still → continues over time

Compare

I haven’t finished yet. (= not now)
I’ve already finished. (= done early)
I am still finishing. (= in progress)

💡 Tip

Yet → end of sentence, negative or question
Already → positive, often surprising
Still → ongoing situation

Test your knowledge 📝

Question 1 sur 10Score: 0/10

I haven’t finished ___.

Discover the app: Shaky English

Join 100,000 people who are improving their English skills on the Shaky English app

Other similar rules

Conjugation

Too vs. Enough

Common confusions

I.e. vs. E.g.

Agreement rules

Tag Questions (You’re French, aren’t you?)

Common mistakes

Using “will” vs. “going to” for future

Conjugation

Some vs. Any

Conjugation

What Is an Appositive?

Conjugation

In / On / At for time

In, on, and at are prepositions of time. They are used to talk about when something happens. The difference depends on how specific the time is. At → exact time Use at for precise moments. At 3 p...

A bit of theory

Affect vs. Effect

Let’s make the difference between affect and effect easy to understand! Affect Affect is usually a verb. It means to influence or to make a change. Too much screen time can affect your sleep....