Yet, still and already are tiny words about time, and they love to swap places. Each one looks at time from a different spot.
- Yet: waiting. Something has not happened up to now, but you expect it to. It isn't ready yet.
- Still: continuing. Something has not stopped. It is still raining.
- Already: sooner than expected, or done. We've already eaten.
Yet: waiting for it
Yet means "up to now". It usually appears in negative sentences and questions, and it goes at the end.
Have you finished your homework yet?
The pizza isn't ready yet.
I haven't seen that film yet.
Is it time to go yet?
When you say yet, you expect the thing to happen soon. Its message is: "not so far, but wait."
Still: it keeps going
Still means a situation continues. It has not stopped or changed.
Mia still lives in the same house.
It is still raining.
Are you still hungry?
It goes before the main verb, but after am, is, are, was or were.
✅ She still plays the piano.
✅ She is still playing the piano.
Still can also appear in a negative sentence, where it means "this has not happened, and we expected it to have happened by now."
The bus still hasn't come.
Notice that still goes before hasn't.
Already: sooner than expected
Already means "before now". It stresses that something happened, or was done, earlier than you expected.
I've already eaten lunch.
The film has already started.
Is it Friday already?
My little brother can read already!
You will usually find it in positive sentences and questions. It goes between the helper word and the main verb, or at the end to show surprise.
Not yet vs still not
These two sound close, but they feel different.
The soup isn't ready yet.
The soup is still not ready.
- Not yet: you are calmly waiting. You expect it soon.
- Still not: you have waited longer than planned. It should have happened by now.
So still not often sounds a bit more impatient. Same facts, a different feeling.
Easy way to tell them apart
Ask: am I waiting, continuing, or surprised it is so soon?
- Waiting for something to happen? Use yet.
- Is it continuing? Use still.
- Done sooner than expected? Use already.
Is it ready yet? (waiting)
Is it still hot? (continuing)
Is it ready already? (sooner than I thought)
💡 The OddLingo Trick
Picture a bus stop.
- Yet: you look down the road for the bus. It has not come yet.
- Still: you stand still at the stop. The wait is not over.
- Already: the bus came before you finished your sandwich. It is here already!
⚠️ Common mistakes
Yet is for negatives and questions, not for positive sentences.
❌ The film has yet started.
✅ The film hasn't started yet.
Already does not go in a normal negative.
❌ I haven't already eaten.
✅ I haven't eaten yet.
Still goes before haven't and hasn't.
❌ I haven't still finished.
✅ I still haven't finished.
📌 Good to know
- In British English, people usually use the present perfect with these words: I've already eaten. In American English, the simple past is common too: I already ate. Both are fine.
- Already and all ready are different. All ready means everyone or everything is prepared. See already vs all ready.
- Another pair of small time words that cause trouble: since vs for.
💬 In a Conversation
Sam: Has the pizza finished baking yet?
Mia: Not yet.
Sam: Is it still in the oven?
Mia: Yes. It has only been there five minutes.
Sam: It feels like an hour. I'm hungry already!
Mia: You were hungry already when you walked in.