Yet / still / already : position and use

Maria Rita Barros from Brazil writes: I always get confused when I use still, yet andalready. Could you please explain them again with examples. Maria-Leena Luotonen from Finland writes:I've been wondering why my grammar book says that yet goes at the end of the clause in interrogative and negative sentences when I have seen the examples: I got the book a month ago and I haven't yet had a chance to read it. (Cambridge Dictionaries on line) Later issues are not yet published.(British Library)

Roger Woodham replies:

Yet - position in sentence I would say that your grammar book, Cambridge Dictionaries and the British Library are all correct, Maria-Leena. Yet is normally placed at the end of the clause, particularly in informal English and in questions, but can go immediately after not in negative sentences in a more formal style, such as Cambridge Dictionaries and the British Library have used. Compare also the following:

How long have you been in Britain? ~ For over a year now. ~ Have you been to Wales or Scotland yet? ~ No, not yet. I haven't even ventured out of London yet.

Although she has been in Britain for more than a year, Maria has not yet visited either Wales or Scotland.

Yet - meaning and use We use yet in questions to ask whether something has happened up to the present time. Not yet then indicates that it hasn't happened yet:

Is dinner ready yet? I'm starving. ~ No, it's not ready yet. It'll be another half an hour.

In a more formal style it is possible to use yet in affirmative sentences:

We have yet to discover whether there are any survivors from the plane crash. I have yet to speak to the personnel manager to discuss my future.

In a less formal style, we might say:

We still don't know whether there are survivors from the plane crash. I haven't spoken to the manager yet, so don't know what my future will be. I still haven't spoken to the manager, so don't know what my future will be.

Thus, in negative sentences, as we can see from these examples, there is considerable overlap in meaning and use between yet andstill. Still is the more emphatic of the two. still - meaning and use We use still in questions, affirmative and negative sentences to indicate that something is not finished and that we are perhaps surprised or concerned about this. Because it is emphatic, it often carries considerable word stress:

Is it still raining? ~ Yes, it's still raining. No chance of playing tennis today, I'm afraid. I still don't know whether Brendan will be coming to the engagement party. I've tried to reach him several times on the phone, but can't seem to get hold of him.

already - meaning and use Whereas still and yet normally refer to present and future circumstances, already normally refers to something that is in the present or recent past. It is mainly used in questions and affirmative sentences and usually expresses surprise that something

has happened sooner than expected.

When do you expect Polly to arrive? ~ She's already here! Haven't you seen her? Can you give me a hand with the layout for this article. ~ No, I'm sorry, I'm already late. I have to leave right now. Can you help me move those boxed upstairs? ~ I've already moved them. Have you finished that typing already? Yes, I finished it about five minutes ago. By the age of three, Mozart had already learnt to play the piano.

still / already - position in sentence Note from the above examples that in contrast to yet, still and already usually occupy mid position in the clause.

Yet usually functions as an adverb. One of its main uses is in final position with negative verbs or questions to indicate that something hasn't happened but with the expectation that it will happen at some point, as in 'I haven't done my homework yet' or 'Have you finished with the newspaper yet?' It is also used with negative verbs, as in 'It's only 7 o'clock - we don't need to be at the airport yet', to mean 'so early'. Yet is often used with superlatives to mean 'so far', as in 'This was Ronaldo's best game yet' or 'That was our worst holiday experience yet'. Apart from its function as an adverb, yet can also be a conjunction, where it means 'but'. Examples are fixed expressions such as 'so near yet so far' (where it cannot be replaced by but) and those more usually found in written English such as 'She was calm yet determined' (where it can be replaced by but). As an adverb, yet is also often used together with 'again', as in 'The naughty dog's run away yet again!' to indicate exasperation. This expression can also be used in initial position for extra effect, e.g. 'Yet againyou have exceeded my worst expectations!' Used with 'another' it indicates surprise, either in a positive sense, as in 'This was yet another excellent performance by Barcelona', or in a negative sense, as in 'This was yet another dreadful performance by United'. But vs. yet As conjunctions, but and yet are interchangeable. One is often substituted for the other to avoid repetition, as in this sentence: Many, many people here share these thoughts, yet nobody can say anything. But Im saying something. [Chatoyant Crumbs] This has the same meaning as, Many, many people here share these thoughts, [but] nobody can say anything. [Yet] Im saying something. Using one or the other in both spots would also create the same meaning, but it might sound repetitive. As adverbs

Both words also work as adverbs, and in their adverbial senses they are not interchangeable. Yetusually means up to this time, while the adverbial but usually means only. For example, but andyet are not interchangeable as used in these sentences: The health care bill is but a tentative first step on the road to needed reform. [Columbia Tribune] Football coach Dabo Swinney said he has not yet had a conversation with Clemson officials regarding a contract extension. [Charleston Post Courier] The results of an investigation in Seattle are but the latest example of a troubling trend. [The Root] The board has yet to rule on the March petition. [Bloomberg Business Week]

'yet' and 'but', 'so' and 'hence', 'for example' and 'for instance'

Nick Leung asks: What's the difference between 1. yet and but; 2. so and hence; 3. for example and for instance.

Roger replies:

more questions

1. Used as a conjunction, yet is similar in meaning to but, but it has a stronger effect on the reader or listener. Compare:

'The sun was shining and there was no wind, yet it was unusually cold.' 'The sun was shining and there was no wind, but it was unusually cold.'

There is perhaps more of a surprise associated with the former

statement. Note that you can put and in front of yet when it comes at the beginning of a clause, but of course this is not possible withbut, so you can say:

'The cyclists were tired and hungry, all but exhausted, (and) yet they refused to give up in their attempt to finish the race.'

2. So as a linking word between two clauses or sentences is similar in meaning to hence, though hence is much more formal. Compare:

'Paul didn't have enough money for the train ticket, so he had to go to the cashpoint before he could travel.' 'It is clear to us now that drug abuse can never be beneficial to the user; hence we seem to have got it wrong in suggesting that it may sometimes be acceptable.'

In spoken English, we often begin a sentence with so, thus making a link with what has been said before:

'We couldn't find the key, so we couldn't open the door.' 'So what did you do?'

3. For example and for instance are completely interchangeable, so it is just a matter of personal preference as to which you decide to use:

'There are a number of rules you must abide by. For instance, you may not use the swimming pool unsupervised.' 'You have all made silly mistakes on this trip. John, for example, failed to secure the boat properly and Adam took the jet ski out when the sea was far too rough.'