Micro-listening
Already, still, yet: choose the right word
Can you use already in questions instead of yet?
These four words connect the present moment to an expectation or a past state. Already signals completion and sometimes pleasant surprise. Still emphasizes continuation over time. Yet looks forward toward an expected completion. No longer marks a clear division between what was true in the past and what is true today.
Key points
- Before writing or speaking, identify the state of your action.
- Use already for completed events, still for ongoing actions, yet for expected events that remain unfinished, and no longer for habits or conditions that have stopped.
- Placing each word in its natural sentence position makes your meaning clear.
This lesson has 5 stages. You can stop at any time and continue later.
Stage 1 of 5
Understand
What it means, when to use it, and mistakes to avoid.
Examples
Sofia has already printed our presentation handouts.
Why it works: Already shows that the printing finished earlier than the team planned.
3 more examples
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Marcus is still testing the projector in room three.
Still shows that the testing started earlier and continues at this moment.
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The technician has not replaced the broken cable yet.
Yet marks an expected repair that has not happened up to now.
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Our office is no longer ordering plastic water bottles.
No longer explains that the past purchasing habit has completely stopped.
Read the full guide
Decide the timeline before choosing a word
When you choose a time word, start by asking what happened to the action. Did it finish early, does it continue right now, are you waiting for it, or did it stop completely? Sorting the situation into one of these four categories tells you which word you need before you worry about word order.
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The delivery van is still outside our building.
Why it works: Still means the van arrived earlier and remains outside right now.
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The delivery van is no longer outside our building.
Why it works: No longer means the van was outside previously, but it has departed.
Your turn
Which word fits best if an event started this morning and continues right now without stopping?
Answer: still
Show the answer
Answer: still
Use still to show that an action or condition began earlier and remains true in the present moment.
Use already for an early completed action
Use already when an action is complete, especially when it happened sooner than someone expected. In standard English, already most often sits between have or has and the past participle. Placing it here makes your sentence sound organized and natural in everyday conversations and emails.
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Clara has already sent the revised contract to our client.
Why it works: Already emphasizes that sending the document happened ahead of schedule.
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We have already prepared lunch for the volunteers.
Why it works: The preparation is complete before the lunchtime rush begins.
You can practise this again in Bazaar or bizarre: choose the right word and Reflexive Pronouns: Choose the Right Form.
Your turn
Where does already naturally sit in a standard present perfect sentence?
Answer: Between have or has and the main past participle
Show the answer
Answer: Between have or has and the main past participle
In standard affirmative sentences, already sits comfortably between the auxiliary verb have or has and the past participle.
Use still for a continuing situation
Still shows that an action or state began in the past and continues in the present. In sentences with regular verbs, put still directly before the main verb. When your sentence uses be as the main verb, place still immediately after be so the rhythm remains natural.
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David still works as a landscape designer in our town.
Why it works: David started this job in the past and continues working there today.
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The studio lights are still on after the rehearsal.
Why it works: Still follows are because be functions as the main verb here.
Your turn
Which sentence shows the correct word order for still with the verb be?
Answer: Our office is still warm today.
Show the answer
Answer: Our office is still warm today.
When be is the main verb, still naturally follows am, is, are, was, or were.
Use yet for expected events that remain unfinished
Yet belongs in negative sentences and questions when you expect an action to happen. It tells your listener that something has not taken place by now, but you think it will happen soon. In most sentences, place yet at the very end of the clause.
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Has the maintenance team inspected the heating system yet?
Why it works: The speaker expects the inspection to happen and asks if it is done.
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The maintenance team has not inspected the heating system yet.
Why it works: The inspection remains expected, but it is currently unfinished.
Your turn
Where does yet normally appear in questions and negative statements?
Answer: At the very end of the sentence or clause
Show the answer
Answer: At the very end of the sentence or clause
Yet typically sits at the end of negative clauses and questions to signal an expected event.
Use no longer when a past situation has ended
No longer indicates that a past habit, status, or condition has finished and is not true today. It is more direct than creating a negative sentence with anymore. Place no longer before main verbs, or place it directly after be in affirmative sentences.
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This software no longer supports old file formats.
Why it works: The software supported old formats in the past, but that feature has stopped.
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Mr. Evans is no longer our department supervisor.
Why it works: No longer follows is to show that his supervisory role has ended.
Your turn
What meaning does no longer express in a sentence?
Answer: A past state or habit that has completely stopped
Show the answer
Answer: A past state or habit that has completely stopped
No longer shows that something was true previously but does not happen or exist now.
Contrast already and yet in questions and statements
Learners often mix up already and yet because both words relate to expectations. Use yet for neutral questions about whether an action is done. Use already in questions when you feel surprised that someone finished so quickly. In statements, use already for positive completion and yet for negative delays.
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Have you cleaned the kitchen already? That was fast!
Why it works: Already shows surprise because the cleaning finished earlier than expected.
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Have you cleaned the kitchen yet? We need to cook.
Why it works: Yet asks a neutral question to find out if the kitchen is ready.
Your turn
Why would a speaker ask 'Have you eaten already?' instead of using yet?
Answer: The speaker feels surprised that the meal happened so soon.
Show the answer
Answer: The speaker feels surprised that the meal happened so soon.
Already in a question highlights surprise that an activity finished earlier than expected.
Hear time words in fast spoken English
In natural speech, time words often receive sentence stress because they signal important timeline changes. In contrast, nearby auxiliary verbs like have or has often shrink into contractions like 've or 's. Notice how speakers emphasize still and yet to highlight ongoing delays or expected arrivals.
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They've already called our names.
Why it works: Have contracts to 've, while already carries clear stress.
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He still hasn't replied to my email.
Why it works: Still receives strong stress to highlight the ongoing delay.
Your turn
What often happens to auxiliary verbs like have when already appears in spoken English?
Answer: Auxiliary verbs contract into short forms while already carries stress.
Show the answer
Answer: Auxiliary verbs contract into short forms while already carries stress.
In spoken English, have and has frequently shorten into 've or 's, leaving primary stress on words like already.
Avoid common word order and meaning mistakes
Two common errors happen when writers translate directly from their first language. Do not put yet in positive statements where already belongs. Also, avoid putting still after the main verb in positive sentences. Checking the position of the word against the verb helps you avoid awkward phrasing.
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I have already finished my assignment.
Why it works: Saying 'I have finished my assignment yet' is incorrect in standard English.
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She still lives near the library.
Why it works: Put still before lives, not after it in an affirmative sentence.
Your turn
Which sentence is grammatically correct in standard English?
Answer: We have already finished our breakfast.
Show the answer
Answer: We have already finished our breakfast.
Use already in completed affirmative statements; yet does not belong in standard positive statements of completion.
Questions about "Already, still, yet: choose the right word"
Can you use already in questions instead of yet?
Yes, you can use already in questions when you feel surprised that an event happened earlier than expected. A standard question with yet simply asks whether an action is complete. A question with already shows that the speaker did not expect completion so quickly.
Have you submitted your application already?
Have you submitted your application yet?
Where does still go in negative sentences?
In negative sentences, still goes before the negative auxiliary verb, such as has not, did not, or cannot. This placement emphasizes that an expected change has failed to happen despite the passing of time. In contrast, yet normally sits at the very end of the sentence.
Lucas still has not answered my message.
Lucas has not answered my message yet.
What is the difference between no longer and anymore?
Both expressions describe an action or state that stopped. No longer sits before the main verb or after be, and the sentence uses an affirmative verb. Anymore goes at the end of a negative sentence with not. Both mean the earlier habit or condition has ended.
We no longer print paper tickets.
We do not print paper tickets anymore.
How can I choose between still and already when discussing progress?
Ask whether the action has reached its end or continues right now. If the action is finished earlier than expected, choose already. If the activity started earlier and remains in progress at the present moment, choose still.
The crew has already repaired the roof.
The crew is still repairing the roof.
Before you go
Remember this
Before writing or speaking, identify the state of your action. Use already for completed events, still for ongoing actions, yet for expected events that remain unfinished, and no longer for habits or conditions that have stopped. Placing each word in its natural sentence position makes your meaning clear.
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Describe an event or group project you are planning. Explain one task that is already complete, one task people are still doing, and one delivery that has not arrived yet.
You could start with “Our planning team has already finished our main schedule…”
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