already, still, yet and no longer

 

We use still to show that something continues up to a time in the past present or future. It goes in front of the main verb:

The children still enjoyed playing games.
They are still living next door.
We will still be on holiday.

… or after the present simple or the past simple of be:

Her grandfather is still alive.
They were still unhappy.

We use already to show that something has happened sooner than it was expected to happen. Like still, it comes before the main verb:

The car is OK. I’ve already fixed it.
It was early but they were already sleeping.

… or after the present simple or past simple of the verb be:

It was early but we were already tired.
We are already late.

We use yet in a negative or interrogative clause, usually with perfective aspect (especially in British English), to show that something has not happened by a particular time. yet comes at the end of the sentence:

It was late, but they hadn’t arrived yet.
Have you fixed the car yet?
She won’t have sent the email yet.

Exercise

Comments

Faster82's picture

I have a question regarding already.
The rule says:

We use already to show that something has happened sooner than it was expected to happen. Like still, it comes before the main verb or after the present simple or past simple of the verb be.
But how come following sentence true?
Have you finished that book already? It's 400 pages long.

Jeremy Bee's picture
LearnEnglish
team

Hello Faster82!
 
Usually with present perfect, already will go between have and the past participle, but it can go at the end of questions as well. We sometimes put it at the end of sentences, as well - I have finished it already.
 
Hope that helps
 
Jeremy Bee
The LearnEnglish Team

M.youssif's picture

Many thanks

abdu-qawi hamoud's picture

Thank u very much for these good informations.I wish i could be a member when i was a student.

Arbenita's picture

thank you

Zoje10's picture

it was easy ...............

OM Dagur's picture

She won’t have sent the email yet.
I also want a grammatical explanation on this.
Can anyone help? Thanks..

jastin's picture

Hi
After going through the examples of 'yet' i got a bit confused about the last example which says: she wont have sent the email yet.
dont you reckon it would be like:she hasn't  sent the email yet?
please correct me if i am wrong:)
thanks

c0chi's picture

I think it could be as you say but it would have other meaning.
You use present perfect while the article use future perfect.
Both are correct but with different meanings.
 
bye!

ArniMusthofa's picture

I got 100% in this test