STILL | ALREADY | JUST | YET - English grammar
Summary
TLDRIn this engaging lesson, English educator Arnel delves into the nuances of four commonly confused words related to the concept of time: 'still,' 'already,' 'just,' and 'yet.' He emphasizes the importance of understanding their definitions, usage in positive and negative statements, question formation, and placement within a sentence. Additionally, he touches upon the subtle differences between American and British English. Arnel uses the example of preparing for a dinner with his boss to illustrate how these words can be effectively incorporated into a single context, providing a practical application for learners. The lesson is not only informative but also serves as a reminder of the flexibility and expressiveness of the English language.
Takeaways
- 📚 **Still** is used to emphasize that an action is ongoing and can be surprising. It can be used in the present, past, and future tenses.
- 📍 **Still** can be positioned before the main verb, after the auxiliary verb (like a sandwich), or after 'be' forms in a sentence.
- 🚫 In negatives, **still** is placed before the auxiliary verbs, as in 'I still don't know how to use chopsticks.'
- 🕒 **Already** indicates that something happened sooner than expected or before something else. It can be used in present, past, and future tenses.
- 🔄 The position of **already** is similar to **still**, but it can also be placed at the end of a sentence for a more informal and emphatic tone.
- ❄️ **Just** is used for something that happened very recently, right before now or another event.
- 📉 The position for **just** is before the main verb, between the auxiliary and the main verb, or after 'be'.
- 🤔 **Yet** is used in negatives and questions to express that an action hasn't happened and is expected or awaited.
- ➡️ **Yet** is typically placed at the end of a clause or sentence to give emphasis to the expectation of an action.
- 🇺🇸🇬🇧 There is a preference in American English to use the past simple with **already**, **just**, and **yet**, while British English tends to use the present perfect.
- 🍽 An example situation illustrates the use of all four words: '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, and I just remembered I didn't buy any drinks.'
- 📈 Learning the positions of **still** will make understanding the positions of **already**, **just**, and **yet** easier due to their similar adverbial properties.
Q & A
What are the four aspects to consider when understanding the use of common English words?
-The four aspects to consider are: 1. the definition, 2. when to use these words in positive statements, negatives, and questions, 3. the position in a sentence, and 4. the difference between American English and British English.
How is the word 'still' used in English to describe an action?
-The word 'still' is used to emphasize that an action is ongoing and continuing. It is often used when the continuation of an action is surprising.
Can you provide an example of how 'still' is used in a sentence?
-An example is 'My brother still lives with my parents.' This emphasizes that despite his age (38 in the example), he continues to live with his parents.
In what positions can the adverb 'still' be placed in a sentence?
-The adverb 'still' can be placed in the middle position, which can be before the main verb, after the auxiliary verb and before the main verb (like a sandwich), or after 'be' forms.
What is the difference in the placement of 'still' in negative sentences?
-In negative sentences, 'still' is placed before the auxiliary verbs, as in 'I still don't know how to use chopsticks.'
How is the word 'already' used in English?
-The word 'already' is used to express surprise that something happened before it was expected or earlier than expected. It can be used in the present, past, and future tenses.
What is a casual and emphatic way to use 'already' in a sentence?
-Using 'already' at the end of a sentence or clause is more informal and casual, as in 'No thank you, I had one already.'
What is the typical position for 'already' in a sentence?
-The typical positions for 'already' are before the main verb, between the auxiliary and the main verb, and after 'be'.
What is the difference between American and British English usage of 'already'?
-Generally, Americans tend to use the past simple with 'already', while speakers of British English tend to use the present perfect. This is a preference rather than a strict grammatical rule.
How is the word 'just' used to describe the timing of an event?
-The word 'just' is used to describe something that happened immediately before the current moment or right before something else. It conveys a sense of very recent past.
What are the three typical positions for the adverb 'just' in a sentence?
-The three typical positions for 'just' are before the main verb, between the auxiliary and the main verb, and after 'be'.
How is the word 'yet' used in English, and where is it typically placed in a sentence?
-The word 'yet' is used in negatives and questions to express that an expected action has not yet occurred. It is typically placed at the end of a clause or sentence.
What is another structure in which 'yet' can be used in a positive sentence?
-In a positive sentence, 'yet' can be used in the structure 'have yet to/has yet to' followed by an infinitive to express that something is expected or awaited.
Can you provide an example of how all four words 'still', 'already', 'just', and 'yet' are used in a single situation?
-An example is: 'My boss and his wife are coming over 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.'
Outlines
😀 Understanding Commonly Confused Words in English
In this paragraph, Arnel introduces the topic of the video, which is about distinguishing between four common English words that students often confuse. He outlines the four aspects they will explore: definitions, usage in positive statements, negatives, questions, sentence position, and differences between American and British English. Arnel emphasizes the focus on the words in relation to time and begins with the word 'still,' explaining its use to emphasize ongoing actions and its placement in sentences.
📚 Positioning of 'Still' and Introduction to 'Already'
Arnel delves into the positioning of 'still' in a sentence, comparing it to other adverbs like 'already' and 'yet.' He provides examples of 'still' in different tenses and explains its placement before the main verb, after the auxiliary verb, and after forms of 'be.' The paragraph also introduces 'already,' illustrating its use to express surprise when something happens sooner than expected. Arnel contrasts the positions of 'already' with 'still,' noting that 'already' remains in the same position in negatives and questions, unlike 'still.'
🕒 Using 'Just' and 'Yet' for Recent Actions and Expectations
The third paragraph discusses the use of 'just' for actions that occurred very recently and 'yet' for actions that are expected but have not yet happened. Arnel explains that 'just' is used to convey that something happened shortly before the present moment, while 'yet' is placed at the end of a sentence or clause to indicate anticipation or waiting for an action. He also touches on the formal structure 'have yet to/has yet to' for expressing expectations in a positive context, before concluding with a practical example that incorporates all four words.
🍽️ Applying the Words in a Real-Life Scenario
In the final paragraph, Arnel creates a scenario where he is preparing for his boss's visit to illustrate the practical application of 'still,' 'already,' 'just,' and 'yet.' He uses 'yet' to express that his boss and his wife have not arrived, 'already' to indicate that he has completed making the potatoes and salad, 'still' to describe the ongoing baking of the fish, and 'just' to convey that he has newly remembered the lack of drinks. This scenario encapsulates the nuanced use of each word in context.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡still
💡already
💡just
💡yet
💡position
💡negative statements
💡questions
💡positive statements
💡American English vs. British English
💡time
💡emphasis
Highlights
Four common words English learners often confuse are discussed: still, already, just, and yet.
The four aspects to consider when understanding these words are definition, usage in positive/negative statements/questions, sentence position, and differences between American and British English.
Still emphasizes that an action is ongoing and is often used when the continuation is surprising.
Still can be used in the middle position in a sentence, before the main verb, after the auxiliary verb, or after the 'be' form.
In negatives, still is placed before the auxiliary verbs.
Already indicates something happened sooner than expected or before something else.
Already can be used in the same positions as still, and can also be placed at the end of a sentence for a more informal, emphatic tone.
In American English, already is often used with the past simple tense, while in British English it is used with the present perfect tense.
Just is used for something that happened immediately before now or before something else.
Just can be used in the same positions as still and already, before the main verb, between the auxiliary and main verb, or after 'be'.
Yet is used in negatives and questions to indicate something is expected to happen but hasn't yet.
Yet is placed at the end of a clause or sentence to emphasize expectation.
Yet can also be used in positive sentences with the structure 'have yet to/has yet to + infinitive' in formal contexts.
A scenario is presented to illustrate the differences between the four words: 'They're not here yet' (expectation), 'I already made the potatoes' (finished before now), 'The fish is still baking' (ongoing action), 'I just remembered I didn't buy drinks' (very recent).
Understanding the nuances and proper usage of these common words can greatly enhance English learners' communication skills.
The lesson provides clear explanations, examples and comparisons to help learners master the use of still, already, just and yet.
The presenter's engaging teaching style and use of relatable examples make the lesson informative and enjoyable.
The lesson is well-structured, starting with an overview, followed by detailed discussions of each word, and concluding with a summary scenario.
Transcripts
Hi guys! I'm Arnel, and today we're going to look at four common words
that english students can often confuse.
If we want to understand how to use these words, we need to look at four things.
1. the definition 2. when we use these words - in positive statements, negatives, questions
3. the position in a sentence and 4. the difference between American English and British English
At the end of this lesson, I'm going to use all four of these in one 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. 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 two weeks. I am still sick.
Ookay you can see all 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 am and it was still dark out. It continued to be dark.
My parents divorced when I was seven, 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 two minutes, you will still be watching this video.
Hopefully. Okay we need to look at the position of still in detail. Why is a 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
be1. before the main verb 2. after the auxiliary verb and before the main verb - like a sandwich.
3. 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 in the middle - like a sandwich. I can still go into the office
if i need to. I'm sick. I have my 'be' form and still goes after it. I'm still sick. Remember the 'be' forms?
These are the be 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 'be'. So we have
the three 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. 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 five 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 five 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 coffee? No thank you, I already had one. Before now. Okay,
I have two examples in the present, one 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 five years old already?
It's only January and the snow is melting already. Would you like a tea or coffee? No thank
you. I had one already. And when you arrive in San Francisco, Alice and Chloe will be there already.
And with already, the position and 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 coffee? No thank you, I already had one.
Past simple. You can also say I've, I have, I've already had one. Present perfect. Today's lesson is
not about the past simple or the present perfect, but I need to tell you one 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'll hear 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 -
this is probably one 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. 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 five minutes ago. Okay here we have 20 minutes ago, five minutes ago
one minute ago, this is very recent but recent is relative right? I could say: We just bought a house.
And this could be two 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.
1. before the main verb 2. between the auxiliary and the main verb 3.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? b=Because an action hasn't happened. We are either waiting for the action or we are 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 7 a.m.
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 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 that
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 + 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 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 four of these words
in one in one situation so you can really compare the difference and see how 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 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 -
one moment ago. That's them. Subscribe to my channel.
Bye!
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