Level: beginner
still
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:
Even when my father was 65, he still enjoyed playing tennis.
It's past midnight but she's still doing her homework.
I won't be at work next week. We'll still be on holiday.
or after the present simple or past simple of be:
Her grandfather has been very ill, but he is still alive.
We tried to help them, but they were still unhappy.
no longer
We use no longer to show the idea of something stopping in the past, present or future. It goes in front of the main verb:
At that moment, I realised that I no longer loved him.
We no longer live in England. We've moved to France.
From midnight tonight, Mr Jones will no longer be the president.
or after the present simple or past simple of be:
Sadly, Andrew and Bradley are no longer friends. They had an argument.
It was no longer safe to stay in the country. We had to leave immediately.
In a negative sentence, we use any longer or any more. It goes at the end of the sentence:
We don't live in England any longer.
It wasn't safe to stay in the country any more.
- still and no longer 1
- still and no longer 2
already
We use already to show that something has happened sooner than it was expected to happen. It goes in front of 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 be:
It was early but we were already tired.
We are already late.
Sometimes already comes at the end of the sentence for emphasis:
It's very early but they are sleeping already.
It was early but we were tired already.
When we got there, most people had arrived already.
yet
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 a sentence:
It was late, but they hadn't arrived yet.
Have you fixed the car yet?
She won't have sent the email yet.
- already and yet
Hello Teacher,
I have two questions. 1. What does it mean by perfective aspect? 2. What is the diffrence between perfective and imperfective aspect of verb?
Thank you!
Khoshal
Hi Khoshal,
You can read more about it on our Perfect aspect page (linked). I hope it helps.
Jonathan
LearnEnglish team
Hello.
I needto know what's the negative form(the tense) comes before any longer or any more
Hi AboWasel,
It can potentially be any negative tense. Here are some examples.
I hope that helps.
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi Asni,
Good question! This structure is the future perfect, which shows something that will be completed (or in this case, not completed) before a specific time in the future. It's always made with will or won't. Have a look at this page for more explanation and examples.
Yes, it's possible to use wouldn't too. The meaning is slightly different. Would frames this as an unreal or imagined situation, i.e., one that hasn't necessarily happened in real life (or in this case, not happened, regarding sending the email). In comparison, using won't frames it as a more factual description of what actually happened (or didn't happen).
Does that make sense?
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi Ahmed Imam,
Yes! The sentence is correct. This sentence structure has an inversion - that is, the auxiliary verb (does) is added, and it appears before the subject (Tom). We do this when the sentence begins with a negative or a limiting adverb (No longer).
Here are some other examples of negative/limiting adverbs that require inversion in the sentence:
This sentence structure sounds quite formal in style. In more general language use, it's possible to say the same thing without inversion - by putting the negative/limiting adverb later in the sentence, not as the first word, e.g. Tom no longer smokes / I have never heard something so shocking.
Best wishes,
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Zaidch,
All of those sentences are grammatically correct, though 'old-fashioned' should be hyphenated. You could also omit the repeated verb 'is'.
The conjunctions carry meaning. And shows that two ideas agree or at least are not in conflict. But and yet both show contrast. Yet is more formal than but and is more common in literary texts than everyday speech, I would say.
In your example, if the speaker thinks that houses which are old-fashioned are normally also large then and is suitable. If, on the other hand, the speaker thinks that it is unusual or surprising for something to be both large and old-fashioned then but or yet is more likely.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi jiyi
There's a useful explanation of how to use 'yet' as a conjunction on this archived BBC World Service page that I'd suggest you take a look at.
You could add 'can', as your friend says, but in my opinion it doesn't make a big difference. If I were writing the sentence you mention and I wanted to use 'yet', I'd probably say something like 'These measures are thought to be less expensive and yet directly benefit the villagers'. Or a version I like even better is 'Despite their lower cost, these measures directly benefit the villagers'.
All the best
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Sajad,
'I'll still practising law' is not correct -- the word 'be' cannot be omitted. This is a future continuous form and 'still' indicates that this person's practice of the law will continue at that point in time. Many adverbs go between the auxiliary verb (in this case, 'will') and the main verb form (in this case 'be practising').
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello jiaojiaopeter,
In questions, we can use both already and yet to express surprise, but we use the former with positive verb forms and the latter with negative. For example:
Both of these sentences show surprise.
We can use yet in positive questions, but it is more neutral and does not show surprise:
In the context in the task, question 4 is a normal question. It would be grammatically fine to use already but there is no reason to add surprise to the sentence, so yet is suitable. Question 5, on the other hand, has a context which clearly shows surprise ("400 pages long!"), so already is appropriate.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello mou,
Yes, that is correct. There is an explanation of 'be yet to' on this page of the Cambridge Dictionary.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team