Yetis an adverb or conjunction.
Yetas an adverb
We useyetas an adverb to refer to a time which starts in the past and continues up to the present. We use it mostly in negative statements or questions in the present perfect. It usually comes in end position:
Kevin hasn’t registered for classyet.
I haven’t finished my breakfastyet.
Has she emailed youyet?
We don’t useyetto refer to something that has happened. We usealready:
She’s booked the flightsalready.
Not:She’s booked the flights yet.
We don’t useyetto talk about events that are continuing:
Elizabeth isstillliving in Manchester. She’s not moving to London till next month.
Not:Elizabeth is living yet… orElizabeth is yet living…
Yetwith negative statements
When we use yetin negative statements, it shows that an event is expected to happen in the future:
Jason hasn’t phonedyet.(I am expecting him to phone.)
I haven’t seen ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’yet.(I am expecting to see this film.)
Yetwith questions
When we useyetin an affirmative question, it shows that the speaker is expecting something to happen:
Is he homeyet?(I expect that he will be home at some point.)
Has your passport arrivedyet?(I expect that your passport will arrive in the post.)
Negative questions withyetcan express an even stronger expectation that something will happen. When we ask this type of question, we expect a negative answer:
Hasn’tRichard arrivedyet?(I strongly expect that he should have arrived.)
Haven’tyou done your driving testyet?(I feel you should have done your driving test by now.)
Yetwith affirmative statements
When we useyetin affirmative statements, it shows that a situation is continuing, even when we might expect it not to continue:
There’s plenty of timeyet.(even though you don’t think so)
We’ve got a lot more work to doyet.(even though you think we have finished)
Yetwith superlatives
We often useyetafter superlatives:
His latest film is his bestyet.(The film is the best one he has made up to now.)
Two hours and 15 minutes – that’s Jones’s fastest marathonyet!
Yetas a conjunction
Yetas a conjunction means ‘but’ or ‘nevertheless’. We use it to show contrast. It often occurs afterand:
So many questionsand yetso few answers.
It felt strangeand yetso wonderful to ski in the summer!
Yetfor emphasis
We useyetfor emphasis, with a meaning similar to ‘even’, especially beforemore,anotherandagain:
The cook arrived withyet anotherplate of cake.
The printer’s broken downyet again!(It has broken down many times before.)
As yet
As yetmeans ‘up to now, but the situation will definitely change’. We only use it in negative contexts:
The film shows you the most typical places,as yetuntouched by tourism, and how to get there.
Have yet toandbe yet to
We usehave yet toandbe yet toin more formal contexts. We use them to refer to events which are necessary or which must happen at sometime, but which have not happened at the time of speaking:
The price of the tickets for the concerthas yet tobe decided.(The price will be decided.)
The President and her husbandare yet toarrive.(The President and her husband will arrive.)
See also:
Already
Already,stilloryet?
Still