Language Focus 1: Present perfect with still, yet, already and just

Objectives

•  learn the present perfect with still, yet, already and just.
•  practise asking and answering questions using the present perfect and the four adverbs.

Present perfect with still, yet, already and just

• We often use still, yet, already and just with the present perfect.

Jack’s already been to Australia three times.

I haven’t had time to go shopping yet.

We still haven’t decided where to go on holiday.

Dad’s just got home and he’s feeling tired.

• We use still with negative verbs to express that something we expected has not happened, but imagine it will happen in the future. We put still directly after the subject.

My uncle still hasn’t telephoned.

• We use yet with negative verbs to emphasise that something we expected has not happened. We put yet after the complete verb phrase.

John hasn’t arrived yet.

• We use yet in questions to ask about things we don’t think have happened.

Have you bought the train tickets yet?

• We use already to explain that something happened before we expected or to emphasise it has happened. We usually put already between have and the past participle.
• We use just with the present perfect to talk about very recent events and actions.

I’ve just heard the good news, It’s fantastic!