Stillis an adverb and an adjective.
Stillas an adverb
We usestillas an adverb to emphasise that something is continuing:
They have been together for 40 years and they arestillvery much in love.
We’restillwaiting for our new couch to be delivered.
We usually putstillin the normal mid position for adverbs (between the subject and the main verb, or after the modal verb or first auxiliary verb, or afterbeas a main verb):
Shestillgoes to French classes every week.(between subject and main verb)
He’sstillstudying.(after the modal verb or first auxiliary verb)
I’mstillhungry.(after main verbbe)
In informal speaking, you will often hearstillused in end position. Many speakers of English may consider this usage too informal:
I can’t find my bagstill. Has anyone seen it?
Have you got their addressstill?
The opposite ofstillisno longer, not any longerornot any more:
A:Are you still teaching in Birmingham?
B:No, I’m not working thereany more(orany longer). (orNo, I’mnolongerworking there.)
Not:I’m not still working…
We sometimes usestillto show that the continuing situation is not desired or is surprising, especially whenstillis stressed and in a negative clause. Note the position ofstillbefore the auxiliary or modal verb when we use it in a negative clause:
She bought a car two months ago and shestillhasn’t taken any driving lessons.(stillis stressed)
Istillcan’t find Kay’s phone number.(stillis stressed) (I’ve been looking for it for a long time. I wish I could find it.)
We can also usestillstressed in this way for something that is true in spite of other things:
We offered £350,000 for the flat but theystillwanted more.
We were near the front of the queue but westilldidn’t get tickets for the concert.
We can usestillin front position to mean ‘on the other hand’ or ‘nevertheless’:
I don’t really like weddings.Still, I’ll have to go or they’ll be offended.
… there was not one air-conditioned room on the tour and there were not enough minibuses for all the passengers.Still, I did manage to get into one minibus but it broke down on the way to the hotel.
See also:
Already
Already,stilloryet?
Any moreoranymore?
Long
Yet
Stillas an adjective
We usestillas an adjective to say that something is not moving:
Keep your headstill.
It was astill, calm evening.
Still:typical errors
We don’t usestillafter the main verb:
Teachersstillhave an important role in the classroom.
Not:Teachers have still an important role…
We don’t usestillbefore the first auxiliary or modal verb in an affirmative clause:
The price of petrol isstillgoing up.
Not: …still is going up.
I canstillrun 5 km without difficulty.
Not:I still can run…