2015-08-21
525
A still
We use still to say that a situation or action is continuing. It hasn't changed or stopped:
* It's 10 o'clock and Tom is still in bed.
* When I went to bed, Jane was still working.
* Do you still want to go to the party or have you changed your mind?
Still usually goes in the middle of the sentence with the verb. See Unit 109.
B. Any more/any longer/no longer
We use not... any more or not... any longer to say that a situation has changed. Any more and any longer go at the end of a sentence:
* Ann doesn't work here any more (or any longer). She left last month. (not 'Ann doesn't still work here')
* We used to be good friends but we aren't any more (or any longer).
You can also use no longer. No longer goes in the middle of the sentence:
* Ann no longer works here. Note that we do not normally use no more in this way:
* We are no longer friends. (not 'We are no more friends')
Compare still and not... any more:
* Sheila still works here but Ann doesn't work here any more.
C. Yet
Yet = 'until now'. We use yet mainly in negative sentences (I haven't finished yet) and questions (Have you finished yet?). Yet shows that the speaker is expecting something to happen.
Yet usually goes at the end of a sentence:
* It's 10 o'clock and Tom hasn't got up yet.
* I'm hungry. Is dinner ready yet?
* We don't know where we're going for our holidays yet.
We often use yet with the present perfect (Have you finished yet?). See also Unit 7C. Compare yet and still:
* Jack lost his job a year ago and is still unemployed.
Jack lost his job a year ago and hasn't found another job yet.
* Is it still raining?
Has it stopped raining yet?
Still is also possible in negative sentences (before the negative):
* She said she would be here an hour ago and she still hasn't come.
This is similar to 'she hasn't come yet'. But still. not shows a stronger feeling of surprise or impatience. Compare:
* I wrote to him last week. He hasn't replied yet. (but I expect he will reply soon)
* I wrote to him months ago and he still hasn't replied. (he should have replied before now)
D. Already
We use already to say that something happened sooner than expected. Already usually goes in the middle of a sentence (see Unit 109):
* 'When is Sue going on holiday?' 'She has already gone.' (= sooner than you expected)
* Shall I tell Liz the news or does she already know?
* I've only just had lunch and I'm already hungry.
