
Look at these examples to see how just, yet, still and already are used.
I've just seen Sai. He's really enjoying his new job.
We haven't decided what to do yet.
I still haven't called Yumi to see how she is.
I've already had lunch but I'll join you for coffee.
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
- Grammar test 1
Read the explanation to learn more.
Grammar explanation
We often use just, yet, still and already with the present perfect because they are related to the present moment. This page focuses on the meaning and use of these words when they are used with the present perfect.
just
Just used with the present perfect means 'a short time before'.
I've just seen Susan coming out of the cinema.
Mike's just called. Can you ring him back, please?
Have you just taken my pen?!
Just comes between the auxiliary verb (have/has) and the past participle.
yet
Yet used with the present perfect means 'at any time up to now'. We use it to emphasise that we expect something to happen soon. Yet (in this context) is only used in negative sentences and questions.
Have you finished your homework yet?
I haven't finished it yet. I'll do it after dinner.
A. Where's Sam? B: He hasn't arrived yet.
Yet comes at the end of the sentence or question.
still
Still used with the present perfect means that something hasn't happened. We use it to emphasise that we expected the thing to happen earlier. Still (in this context) is only used in negative sentences.
I've been waiting for an hour and the bus still hasn't come.
They promised me that report yesterday but they still haven't finished it.
She still hasn't replied to my email. Maybe she's on holiday.
Still comes between the subject (the bus, they, etc.) and auxiliary verb (haven't/hasn't).
already
Already used with the present perfect means 'before now'. We use it to emphasise that something happened before something else or earlier than expected.
I've already spent my salary and it's two weeks before payday.
He wanted to see Sudden Risk but I've already seen it.
The train's left already!
Already can come between the auxiliary and the main verb or at the end of the clause.
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
- Grammar test 2
Hello
What's the difference between I've done it versus I just have done it?
Hi Sayinsu,
"I have just done it" (notice the position of "just") means the action was recent (e.g. only moments ago).
"I've done it" may or may not be recent. The present perfect is used for recent actions, but it's also used for actions in an unfinished time period and past actions with a result in the present (see the Present Perfect page for more explanation and examples), and those actions are not necessarily recent. For example, if I am telling somebody about the sports that I have done in my life, I could say "I've done surfing, skydiving, skiing and snowboarding". The sentence gives no information about when I did those sports - it could have been recently or many years ago.
I hope that helps.
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Thanks Mr. Jonathan.
Now I am clear about the of just. 'I have done it' vs 'I have already done it'. What is their difference, if any?
Hello Sayinsu,
We use already to signal that something no longer needs to be done:
It's particularly common in two uses. First, when we want to tell something that they no longer need to do something, as in the example above. Second, to indicate that something was done unexpectedly early. For example:
You can also use already with other verb forms than the present perfect:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
i have already sent you money but why you still have not received
I still haven't seen any examples of an English test. But I've already dealt with some language tests, so I might know how to pass them successfully. I've just looked at the test structure, but I haven't decided yet what type of the test it will be.
I'm aware that "already" generally follows the BE verb, but can it not also sometimes correctly precede it when the sense is marked by contrast such as in the following example: "Melody will be a beautiful woman some day." "She already IS a beautiful woman." ?
Hello tastybrain,
Yes, that's correct. The normal position for 'already' is mid-position, i.e. with all main verbs except 'be', it typically comes between the subject and main verb or, when there's an auxiliary verb, after the auxiliary verb; with the main verb 'be', it typically comes after 'be'.
But it's also used at the end of sentences (or before the main verb 'be') for emphasis or to show surprise, as you describe.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
How can i distinguish the usage between "already" and "just"? Thank you very much!
Hello WilliamsBen1904,
When used with present perfect, 'just' refers to a short time before the action. It's impossible to tell exactly how long that 'short time' is because it depends on the speaker's perspective, but in general it's quite short.
'already' can refer much further back in time, or it can refer to a very recent time. 'already' often expresses the idea that the speaker didn't expect the action to happen so quickly, but it can be used in other ways as well.
You might find the following two pages from the Cambridge Dictionary useful, as both have more examples you can read:
1. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/already
2. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/just (see especially the section called 'Just and expressions of time' -- it can also be used to express other meanings)
Hope this helps.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi Maahir,
They mean the same thing, but the sentences with still emphasise a bit more strongly that the movie should have been released by now. :)
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Jerry Plamondon,
Yes, as you observe, on this page we cover the most common uses of these words, but this does not mean there are not others.
Your sentence is correct -- well done!
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Alicelle,
I'm not sure I understand your question correctly. Could you post an example sentence or two to show what you mean. We'll be happy to comment, but I think it will be clearer that way and we'll be sure we are giving you correct information.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello again Alicelle,
That makes things clearer - thank you.
I think the use of just in negative sentences does show surprise but not necessarily anger. You could show a positive sense of surprise, for example:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi Alicelle,
No, it would need to change to yet: Haven't you seen that movie yet?
Your previous example is very interesting. It is a question, but the sentence structure is that of a negative sentence (not a question, as there is no inversion). That's why still works well here, but not in the inverted question.
Does that make sense?
Best wishes,
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Ahmed Imam,
People usually say 'I've just arrived' or 'I'm just now arriving', but I don't think there's anything wrong with 'I've just now arrived'.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Min Htet Kaung,
The main difference is the position of the adverb: yet usually comes at the end of the clause while still comes before the verb phrase. In your examples the word order is correct.
In terms of meaning, the difference is minimal and both are often possible. I would say that yet is more neutral in terms of the speaker's attitude, while still can in some contexts suggest impatience on the part of the speaker. In other words, still sometimes indicates that the action is taking longer than it should, or is later than expected.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi hyunjoo76,
Interesting question. Yet and as yet (and also as of yet) are similar. But:
Best wishes,
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Piglet,
It's fine to use already with the present. For example:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Piglet,
It's fine to use already with the present simple like that.
However, generally we do not use the present perfect with verbs relating to knowledge (think, remember, know etc) or to senses (see, feel, smell etc). The exception to this is when we are talking about a defined time up to the present:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello again Piglet,
I'm sorry if my reply was not clear. I meant that we do not generally use the present perfect with verbs relating to knowledge when we use already. I assumed this was clear from the context of the original question but should have made it explicit to avoid confusion.
The examples you quote are fine. Obviously, they do not use the adverb already.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello again Piglet,
These are not rules so much as tendencies - a useful rule of thumb, but not a fixed grammatical rule.
It is possible to use stative verbs with the present perfect and already in certain contexts. For example:
Note that 'see' in your example is not a stative verb. It's used in this context as a substitute for 'watch', which is dynamic.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi IsabelTim_123,
Adding yet in the sentences adds a bit of extra meaning. It means that the speaker has some expectation that the action should have happened by now, or will happen soon. For example, I have not finished my proposal yet suggests that he/she might finish it sometime soon. Without yet, the sentence is just stating that the proposal isn't finished. Has your passport arrived yet? suggests that I expected it to have already arrived. If it's very late, for example, you could say this.
About your second question, the two sentences mean the same thing! But the first version (be/have + yet to do something) is more formal in style.
Best wishes,
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi IsabelTim_123,
Yes! You can use yet in that situation.
No, there's no difference in meaning between be yet to and have yet to. But I just checked the frequency of both phrases, and it seems that have yet to is more commonly used.
Best wishes,
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello CHEKYTAN,
You can use still with affirmative verb forms:
You can use yet with the be +to verb future forn:
With other verb forms yet sounds very archaic and is not normally used in modern English.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team