Still and yet: How and When to Use in English
Quick and simple lesson to help you understand grammar better.
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Still and yet
• STILL refers to an action or state that started in the past and continues to the present:
Still single? Are you single, like you were in the past, or do you have a partner now?
Is Horatio still in his laboratory? Does Horatio continue to remain in his laboratory?
I still don't know what you're talking about. I continue to be confused about what you're saying.
• YET has a similar meaning to 'still' but is used in negative constructions:
Have you already eaten? - Not yet. Have you already eaten? - Up until now, no.
They haven't left yet. They are still there.
Bruno has not yet given us his instructions. Up until now, Bruno has not given us his instructions.
• Examples of YET in affirmative constructions:
There's time yet. = There's still time. We have enough time left, remaining.
He has yet to find an investor. = He still hasn't found an investor. Up until now, he hasn't found an investor.
Note that still generally comes before the verb, while yet is usually placed at the end of the sentence.
• In questions, YET has a similar meaning to already (by now):
• In questions, YET has a similar meaning to already (by now):
Did you order the supplies yet? Have you ordered the supplies?
- Yes, I did it already. - Yes, I have done it.
- No, I still have to do it. - No, I haven't done it, but I will do it.
- Yes, I did it already. - Yes, I have done it.
- No, I still have to do it. - No, I haven't done it, but I will do it.
Has Kevin signed the contract with Mei-Tsing Lee yet? Has Kevin signed the contract with Mei-Tsing Lee?
- Yes, he's already signed it. Yes, he's signed it.
- Not yet - No, he hasn't signed it, but he will sign it in the future.
- Yes, he's already signed it. Yes, he's signed it.
- Not yet - No, he hasn't signed it, but he will sign it in the future.
Possible confusion:
once again one more time
Bruno is always busy. Bruno is constantly busy.
Bruno is still busy. Bruno continues to be busy.
Bruno is still busy. Bruno continues to be busy.
• Still and yet can have other meanings:
Meaning 'however':
He says he doesn't like her, still (or yet) he won't stop calling her. He says he doesn't like her, but he won't stop calling her.
He says he doesn't like her, still (or yet) he won't stop calling her. He says he doesn't like her, but he won't stop calling her.
Still used as an adjective (not moving):
Stand still! Don't move!
In the still of the night In the quiet of the night
Stand still! Don't move!
In the still of the night In the quiet of the night
Exercise 1
'Hey, Susie, have you reviewed the files ?'
'Hey, Susie, have you reviewed the files yet?'
yet: We use 'yet' in questions to ask whether something expected has occurred. Here Susie is being asked whether or not she has reviewed certain files (which she was expected to do). In interrogative questions, 'yet' is generally placed at the end of the question.
still: Using 'still' is grammatically incorrect here. 'Still' is often used to describe an uncompleted action, or an action remaining to be completed, however in questions it must be used in a negative construction. We might ask: You still haven't reviewed the files?.
always: 'Always' does not make sense in this question. 'Always' is used to describe repeating or recurring actions, and cannot ask a question about an uncompleted action.
Exercise 2
Everyone else has left the building, but Polly is sitting alone in her office.
Everyone else has left the building, but Polly is still sitting alone in her office.
still: In this sentence, 'still' expresses that Polly continues to sit in her office, even though everyone has left. 'Still' can be used to describe an action which began in the past and continues into the present.
yet: 'Yet' does not fit in this sentence.
always: 'Always' does not fit in this sentence. 'Always' is used to describe repeating or recurring actions, and cannot be used to describe an action which began in the past and continues into the present.
Exercise 3
Use the following words to fill in the blanks in the text. Be careful! Some words may be used more than once.
still | yet | always
You have to take out the trash. Do it now!
The film begins in 10 minutes, we have some time to get to the theater!
Kevin has been known to disappear when the check arrives for dinner.
Luna has believed in spirits.
'Hey, Susie, have you been to the dentist ?'
Bob Carter has to send an email to technical support tonight.
Kevin hasn't earned enough money to buy a second Porsche.
still | yet | always
You have to take out the trash. Do it now!
The film begins in 10 minutes, we have some time to get to the theater!
Kevin has been known to disappear when the check arrives for dinner.
Luna has believed in spirits.
'Hey, Susie, have you been to the dentist ?'
Bob Carter has to send an email to technical support tonight.
Kevin hasn't earned enough money to buy a second Porsche.
Use the following words to fill in the blanks in the text. Be careful! Some words may be used more than once.
still | yet | always
You have yet 1 to take out the trash. Do it now!
The film begins in 10 minutes, we still 2 have some time to get to the theater!
Kevin has always 3 been known to disappear when the check arrives for dinner.
Luna has always 4 believed in spirits.
'Hey, Susie, have you been to the dentist yet 5?'
Bob Carter still 6 has to send an email to technical support tonight.
Kevin hasn't yet 7 earned enough money to buy a second Porsche.
still | yet | always
You have yet 1 to take out the trash. Do it now!
The film begins in 10 minutes, we still 2 have some time to get to the theater!
Kevin has always 3 been known to disappear when the check arrives for dinner.
Luna has always 4 believed in spirits.
'Hey, Susie, have you been to the dentist yet 5?'
Bob Carter still 6 has to send an email to technical support tonight.
Kevin hasn't yet 7 earned enough money to buy a second Porsche.
1 yet: In this sentence, 'yet' describes an action which has not yet been completed. Note that in spoken English, it is more common to say 'You still haven't taken out the trash', or 'You haven't taken out the trash yet'. 'To take out the trash' is to physically remove a garbage can from a home or office and bring it outside.
2 still: In this sentence, the speaker is saying that there is some time remaining, so it continues to be possible for them to get the movie theater in time to see the movie. A similar example: "We still have a few years to enjoy our youth before becoming parents".
3 always: 'Always' describes a habitual or repeating action or state. In this sentence, it tells us that Kevin is known to regularly avoid the bill, presumably because he doesn't like paying for things. The bill at a restaurant is the note indicating how much the meal cost. Note that 'always' (and other such adverbs) can split the auxiliary/verb combination: has always been known.
4 always: 'Always' describes a regular, habitual or repeating action or state. It is the only choice which fits in this sentence and expresses that from the beginning (since she was a little girl, for example), Luna has believed in spirits.
5 yet: We use 'yet' in questions to ask whether something expected has occurred. Here the speaker is asking whether or not Susie has gone to see her dentist, and we can assume that she was supposed to do this.
6 still: In affirmative constructions such as this one 'still' is used to describe an uncompleted action, or an action which remains to be finished. Here, this sentence indicates that Bob hasn't yet written an email, which he must do at some point this evening.
7 yet: In a construction like this one, 'yet' describes an action which is expected to be finished, but is not. Here, the sentence tells us that Kevin doesn't have enough money to buy a second car, however he plans on one day having enough money to do this.
Exercise 4
The children have to pick up all of their toys. They must do it before dinner.
The children have yet to pick up all of their toys. They must do it before dinner.
yet: 'Yet' describes an action which is expected to be finished, but is not. In this case, the children haven't picked up their toys, though we can assume that they were supposed to. Note that the use of 'yet' in this construction is uncommon in spoken English, and we would more likely say 'The children haven't picked up their toys yet'. 'A toy' as an object used for play, such as a yo-yo or a doll.
still: When using 'still' to express the sense of an uncompleted or unfinished action, we must place the term in between the subject (the children) and the verb (picked up). We might say 'the children still haven't picked up their toys'. The word order in this sentence is incorrect if 'still' is used here.
always: 'Always' does not make sense here because of the awkward construction of the sentence. 'Always' normally precedes the verb in a sentence.
some: 'Some' does not make sense in this construction.
Exercise 5
Polly: Horatio, I thought you had read Bruno's email about smoking in the laboratory.
Horatio: No, I haven't read it . I don't understand how to use this mysterious computer. The ways of modern men are very confusing to me.
Horatio: No, I haven't read it . I don't understand how to use this mysterious computer. The ways of modern men are very confusing to me.
Polly: Horatio, I thought you had already 1 read Bruno's email about smoking in the laboratory.
Horatio: No, I haven't read it yet 2. I still 3 don't understand how to use this mysterious computer. The ways of modern men are still 4 very confusing to me.
Horatio: No, I haven't read it yet 2. I still 3 don't understand how to use this mysterious computer. The ways of modern men are still 4 very confusing to me.
1 already: We use 'already' to express that an action has occurred. Here Polly is assuming that Horatio had read Bruno's note, which he was supposed to do. Note that 'already' is generally used in affirmative statements such as this one, and is never used in negative interrogative constructions: 'Haven't you already read Bruno's note?' is grammatically incorrect.
1 yet: 'Yet' does not make sense in this construction. 'Yet' cannot be used to express the sense of an action which has already occurred, which is required in this construction.
1 still: 'Still' is inappropriate here. However, if Polly were posing a question, she could ask 'You still haven't read Bruno's email? He sent it three weeks ago!'
2 yet: In this sentence, 'yet' indicates an action which has not been completed (Horatio reading Bruno's email). Using 'yet' here indicates that Horatio will eventually read the email, but that up until this point, he hasn't.
2 still: 'Still' does not work in this part of the sentence. However, if 'still' preceded the verb in the sentence (I still haven't read it), this sentence would make sense. When 'yet' is used to indicate an uncompleted action, it is generally used at the end of the construction.
2 already: 'Already' does not fit in this construction. We don't use 'already' in negative constructions such as this one. However, if Horatio was making an affirmative statement, he might say 'I have already read it'.
3 still: 'Still' can be used to describe an uncompleted action, or an action which remains to be finished. In this case, Horatio is expressing that he does not understand how his computer works, and that he continues to be confused by it. 'Still' indicates that the action of understanding the computer is 'ongoing' or continuous. 'A mysterious (object)' is puzzling, confusing or enigmatic.
3 yet: 'Yet' is grammatically incorrect here. 'Yet' cannot be used interchangeably with 'still', although they can express the same ideas. If we were to place 'yet' at the end of the phrase (I don't understand how to use this mysterious computer yet), the sentence would be correct and express the same meaning as the sentence 'I still don't understand how to use this mysterious computer.'
3 already: 'Already' does not fit in this sentence. The term 'already' cannot be used interchangeably with 'still', which in this construction expresses that Horatio continues to be confused by his computer.
4 still: 'Still' can be used to describe an uncompleted action, or an action which remains to be finished. Here it tells us that 'the ways of modern men' continue to confuse Horatio: he was confused in the past and continues to be confused at present.
4 already: 'Already' implies that an action is being repeated or has been completed (I have already read this report, I don't need to read it again). It does not make sense to use it in this sentence.
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