still | already | just | yet 
Four adverbs. Four different uses. 

Hi Guys!

Still, already, just and yet are four adverbs that English students can find a bit confusing. These words are very common and it's important to know how to use them. 

In this lesson, we'll look at: 
1) the definition
2) when we use these adverbs
3) the position in a sentence (very important!)
4) the difference between American English and British English

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Arnel

Hi guys, I'm Arnel, and today we're going to look at 4 common words that English students can often confuse.

If we want to understand how to use these words, we need to look at 4 things.

The definition, when we use these words in positive statements, negatives, questions, the position in a sentence, and the difference between American English and British English.

At the end of this lesson, I'm going to use all 4 of these in 1 situation so you can really see the difference.

And remember, these words can have many different definitions and uses, but today we're specifically focusing on them in terms of time.

We use still to emphasize that an action is continuing, it's ongoing.

You can really see I'm emphasizing that something is continuing, and we often use still because this action, this continuation is surprising.

Of course, this sentence is perfectly correct if you remove, still, my brother lives with my parents, but still gives you that emphasis.

I work from home because of COVID, but I can still go into the office if I need to.

You can see all of these examples are in the present, but you can also use still in the past and in the future.

My parents divorced when I was 7, but they still had a good relationship.

When you wake up, it will still be dark out.

In 2 minutes, you will still be watching this video.

Okay, we need to look at the position of still in detail.

Still is an adverb, just like already, yet, and just.

You know in English, adverbs can go in lots of different places.

The good news is, learning about the position of still will make learning about the position of these other words so much easier.

Still can go in the middle position, often just called mid position.

The middle position can be before the main verb, after the auxiliary verb, and before the main verb.

Let's look at this with examples from earlier.

I have my main verb, my only verb, lives, and before that I add still.

I have my main verb go and my auxiliary verb can.

I can still go into the office if I need to.

I have my B form and still goes after it.

These are the B forms you need to look out for.

Does your girlfriend still go to salsa classes?

So we have the 3 positions but things change a little bit in the negative.

Peter hasn't chosen what he wants from the menu.

We know these sentences are negative because we have not.

And of course I have contracted them because that's natural.

🎵 No, sorry, in the negative, put still before the auxiliaries.

I still don't know how to use chopsticks.

Peter still hasn't chosen what he wants from the menu.

So lots of information here, but we are going to look at these positions again in the lesson, and learning them now will make later on much easier.

Already, You are surprised because something happened before you expected it to happen, earlier than expected, or before something else.

I felt like I saw him yesterday and he was this little little baby.

It's only January and the snow is already melting.

Normally, where I live, the snow doesn't melt until March, April.

I have 2 examples in the present, 1 in the past.

Yes, you can also use already in the future.

When you arrive in San Francisco, Chloe and Alice will already be there.

Because here's a sandwich between the auxiliary and the main verb, and after be.

With already, the end position is also perfectly correct.

When we put already at the end of our sentence or at the end of the clause, it's a little bit more informal.

It's more casual and more emphatic, actually.

It's only January and the snow is melting already.

And when you arrive in San Francisco, Alice and Chloe will be there already.

And with already, the position in negatives and questions doesn't change, which is great.

Let's take a moment to look at this example here.

You can also say, I've, I have, I've already had 1.

Today's lesson is not about the past simple or the present perfect, but I need to tell you 1 difference between American English and British English.

Generally, Americans tend to use the past simple with already, just, and yet.

Speakers of British English tend to use the present perfect.

So you've heard both, and it's just good to know.

We use just for something that happened right before now or right before something else.

Rachel has just called and she left you a message.

Did you get a chance to go to the wildlife photography exhibition?

Okay, here we have 20 minutes ago, 5 minutes ago, 1 minute ago.

This is very recent, but recent is relative, right?

But that's pretty recent in terms of buying a house.

And once again we have that mid position before the main verb between the auxiliary and the main verb after be.

So let's compare still already and just before we move on to yet.

Hey, do you feel like meeting up later cafe?

I thought you already finished it No, to be honest.

I just started Still I'm continuing to work on my essay.

We are either waiting for the action or we're asking about the action.

I haven't eaten breakfast yet, But I'm going to eat breakfast.

I'm expecting a meeting, so I'm asking if it started or not.

I don't know why Zoe was complaining about the new intern.

The good thing about yet is the position.

It's at the end of your clause, at the end of your sentence.

Of course, you can remove yet from all of these And they're perfectly correct.

But once again, yet gives you that little emphasis that you're expecting something.

The first example is just general information.

In the second example, the speaker is going to watch the movie.

They're expecting to watch the movie, but they just haven't done it yet.

The second example is a lot more natural because in the second example the speaker is gonna sign it.

They will sign it when they have some free time.

The first example is a little bit unnatural and it's missing something.

Okay, so we know now we use yet in negatives and questions at the end position, but you probably or you might have seen yet used in a positive sentence.

For example, we can use this structure, have yet to, has yet to plus infinitive.

This also means you're expecting something, you're waiting for something.

For example, the stolen jewels have yet to be recovered.

The judges have yet to announce a winner.

It's not at the end and there's no negative, there's no question.

It's a positive statement which is perfectly correct.

So you can use yet in this type of structure and there are other variations but this isn't very common and it's quite formal.

So I really do suggest keep yet for those negatives and questions at the end of your sentence.

Let's look at all 4 of these words in 1 situation so you can really compare the difference and see how necessary they are.

My boss and his wife are coming over to my house for dinner.

They're not here yet, but they'll be here in about 30 minutes.

I already made the potatoes and the salad.

The fish is still in the oven, the fish is still baking.

And I just remembered I didn't buy any drinks.

So here we can see yet in the negative, I'm expecting my boss and his wife to be at my house soon.

Already something is done, It's finished before now.


Speaker 0: Hi guys, I'm Arnel, and today we're going to look at 4 common words that English students can often confuse. If we want to understand how to use these words, we need to look at 4 things. The definition, when we use these words in positive statements, negatives, questions, the position in a sentence, and the difference between American English and British English. At the end of this lesson, I'm going to use all 4 of these in 1 situation so you can really see the difference. And remember, these words can have many different definitions and uses, but today we're specifically focusing on them in terms of time.

So let's begin with still. Still. We use still to emphasize that an action is continuing, it's ongoing. For example, now it's raining. You can see this on my timeline.

Now it's raining. It's still raining. Raining. It's still raining. You can really see I'm emphasizing that something is continuing, and we often use still because this action, this continuation is surprising.

My brother still lives with my parents. Of course, this sentence is perfectly correct if you remove, still, my brother lives with my parents, but still gives you that emphasis. My brother still lives with my parents. He's 38. I work from home because of COVID, but I can still go into the office if I need to.

I am still sick. I've been sick for 2 weeks. I'm still sick. Okay. You can see all of these examples are in the present, but you can also use still in the past and in the future.

Past. I woke up at 8 a.m. And it was still dark out. Continue to be dark. My parents divorced when I was 7, but they still had a good relationship.

Their good relationship continued. Future. When you wake up, it will still be dark out. It will continue to be dark. In 2 minutes, you will still be watching this video.

Hopefully. Okay, we need to look at the position of still in detail. Why is the position so important? Still is an adverb, just like already, yet, and just. You know in English, adverbs can go in lots of different places.

The good news is, learning about the position of still will make learning about the position of these other words so much easier. So let's take a look. Still. Still can go in the middle position, often just called mid position. The middle position can be before the main verb, after the auxiliary verb, and before the main verb.

Like a sandwich. After a bee. After B. Okay. Let's look at this with examples from earlier.

My brother lives with my parents. I have my main verb, my only verb, lives, and before that I add still. My brother still lives with my parents. I can go into the office if I need to. I have my main verb go and my auxiliary verb can.

Still is in the middle, like a sandwich. I can still go into the office if I need to. I'm sick. I have my B form and still goes after it. I'm still sick.

Remember the B forms? These are the B forms you need to look out for. These rules are the same for questions. Does your girlfriend still go to salsa classes? Auxiliary main verb.

Are you still here? After B. So we have the 3 positions but things change a little bit in the negative. I don't know how to use chopsticks. Peter hasn't chosen what he wants from the menu.

We can't visit our relatives. We know these sentences are negative because we have not. And of course I have contracted them because that's natural. Main verb, auxiliary, aha! Sandwich time!

🎵 No, sorry, in the negative, put still before the auxiliaries. I still don't know how to use chopsticks. Peter still hasn't chosen what he wants from the menu. We still can't visit our relatives. So lots of information here, but we are going to look at these positions again in the lesson, and learning them now will make later on much easier.

Already, You are surprised because something happened before you expected it to happen, earlier than expected, or before something else. What? Your son is already 5 years old? Oh my goodness, time flies! I felt like I saw him yesterday and he was this little little baby.

But no, your son is already 5 years old. This is sooner than I expected. I'm a little bit surprised. It's only January and the snow is already melting. Normally, where I live, the snow doesn't melt until March, April.

But it's January. The snow is already melting. Sooner than I expected. Would you like a tea or a coffee? No, thank you.

I already had 1. Before now? Okay. I have 2 examples in the present, 1 in the past. Yes, you can also use already in the future.

Why not? When you arrive in San Francisco, Chloe and Alice will already be there. You can meet them in the hotel. They'll be there before you. And look at those positions.

We've already talked about this. Before the main verb, are you hungry? Because here's a sandwich between the auxiliary and the main verb, and after be. With already, the end position is also perfectly correct. When we put already at the end of our sentence or at the end of the clause, it's a little bit more informal.

It's more casual and more emphatic, actually. What? Your son is 5 years old already? It's only January and the snow is melting already. Would you like a tea or a coffee?

No, thank you. I had 1 already. And when you arrive in San Francisco, Alice and Chloe will be there already. And with already, the position in negatives and questions doesn't change, which is great. Let's take a moment to look at this example here.

Would you like a tea or a coffee? No, thank you. I already had 1. Past simple. You can also say, I've, I have, I've already had 1.

Present perfect. Today's lesson is not about the past simple or the present perfect, but I need to tell you 1 difference between American English and British English. Generally, Americans tend to use the past simple with already, just, and yet. Speakers of British English tend to use the present perfect. So this isn't a strict grammatical rule.

It's a preference. So you've heard both, and it's just good to know. Just. We use just for something that happened right before now or right before something else. Rachel has just called and she left you a message.

Rachel has just called. Rachel just called. Both are fine. Here, Rachel has just called. Rachel just called.

Both are fine. Here, Rachel has just called. Rachel just called. This is probably 1 minute ago. It's very recent, isn't it?

Did you get a chance to go to the wildlife photography exhibition? I was just there. I went during my lunch break. Yeah, it was amazing. I was just there.

This is probably 20 minutes ago. Have you seen Vic anywhere? He should be in his office. I was just talking to him. I was just talking to him 5 minutes ago.

Okay, here we have 20 minutes ago, 5 minutes ago, 1 minute ago. This is very recent, but recent is relative, right? I could say, we just bought a house. And this could be 2 months ago. But that's pretty recent in terms of buying a house.

You just saw a ghost. And once again we have that mid position before the main verb between the auxiliary and the main verb after be. So let's compare still already and just before we move on to yet. Hey, do you feel like meeting up later cafe? Sorry, not today.

I'm still working on my essay. I thought you already finished it No, to be honest. I just started Still I'm continuing to work on my essay. Already? Something is finished before now.

Just very recently. I started 10 minutes ago. And yes, we can put already at the end. I thought you finished it already. Yet.

We are waiting for something to happen. We are expecting something. We use yet in negatives and questions. Why? Because an action hasn't happened.

We are either waiting for the action or we're asking about the action. I'm hungry. I haven't eaten breakfast yet, But I'm going to eat breakfast. I will eat breakfast. Soon.

You can't go to the supermarket now. It's not open yet. It's only 7am. But it will open. It will open soon.

We're expecting it to open, of course. Has the meeting started yet? I'm expecting a meeting, so I'm asking if it started or not. I don't know why Zoe was complaining about the new intern. She hadn't even met him yet.

The good thing about yet is the position. It's at the end of your clause, at the end of your sentence. That makes things pretty simple. Of course, you can remove yet from all of these And they're perfectly correct. But once again, yet gives you that little emphasis that you're expecting something.

Let's compare. I haven't seen that movie. I haven't seen that movie yet. The first example is just general information. I haven't seen that movie.

Have you seen that movie? Is it any good? In the second example, the speaker is going to watch the movie. They're expecting to watch the movie, but they just haven't done it yet. Have you signed Phil's birthday card?

No I haven't signed it. No I haven't signed it yet. The second example is a lot more natural because in the second example the speaker is gonna sign it. They will sign it when they have some free time. The first example is a little bit unnatural and it's missing something.

Have you signed Phil's birthday card? No, I haven't signed it. Any other questions? Okay, so we know now we use yet in negatives and questions at the end position, but you probably or you might have seen yet used in a positive sentence. For example, we can use this structure, have yet to, has yet to plus infinitive.

This also means you're expecting something, you're waiting for something. For example, the stolen jewels have yet to be recovered. The judges have yet to announce a winner. You can see here we have yet. It's not at the end and there's no negative, there's no question.

It's a positive statement which is perfectly correct. So you can use yet in this type of structure and there are other variations but this isn't very common and it's quite formal. So I really do suggest keep yet for those negatives and questions at the end of your sentence. Amazing. Let's look at all 4 of these words in 1 situation so you can really compare the difference and see how necessary they are.

My boss and his wife are coming over to my house for dinner. They're not here yet, but they'll be here in about 30 minutes. And actually, I'm really nervous. So the... I already made the potatoes and the salad.

The fish is still in the oven, the fish is still baking. And I just remembered I didn't buy any drinks. I don't have any drinks. So here we can see yet in the negative, I'm expecting my boss and his wife to be at my house soon. I'm expecting this.

Already something is done, It's finished before now. I already made the potatoes. I already made the salad. Still, ongoing. The fish is still in the oven.

It's still baking. Just, I just remembered, 1 moment ago. That's them. Subscribe to my channel. Bye!

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STILL | ALREADY | JUST | YET - English grammar