Alreadyis an adverb.
Already: meaning
We usealreadyto emphasise that something was completed before something else happened. It is often used with the present perfect or past perfect:
The planehad already landedwhen the pilot announced that there would be a delay in getting to the gate.
Alreadyis also used to show surprise about things that have happened or will have happened earlier than we expected.
| I am not surprised that it’s twelve o’clock. |
| I’m surprised. I thought it was earlier. |
We use it in affirmative sentences and questions but not usually in negatives:
There arealreadyabout ten people here.(that’s more than were expected at this time)
Not:There aren’t already any people here.
A:Are you backalready?(A is surprised that B has returned so soon.)
B:Yeah.
Already: position
Mid position
We usually putalreadyin 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):
Wealreadyknew that he was coming to visit.
His family hadalreadyheard the news.
Joe’salreadyhere, so we can begin.
We don’t usealreadybetween a verb and a direct object:
I’vealreadymade the coffee.
Not:I’ve made already the coffee.
End position
We can usealreadyat the end of a sentence for greater emphasis or to show greater surprise. This is especially common in informal speaking:
Gosh, he’s finished painting the kitchenalready!(end position is more emphatic)
Have you booked a flightalready?
Front position
Less often, we putalreadyin front position (before the subject). This is usually more formal:
Alreadymore than fifty thousand tickets have been sold for Saturday’s cup final match.
We don’t often putalreadyin front position in informal speaking.
Already: typical errors
We don’t use the past simple withalreadyfor something which was completed before something else happened. Instead, we use the past perfect.
Their wedding in Rome was cancelled but we hadalreadybooked our flights and hotel, so we decided to go.
Not: …but we already booked our flights and hotel…
You may hear American English speakers usingalreadywith the past simple.
We don’t usealreadybetween the verb and its object.
I’vealready[verb]drunk[object]three coffeestoday!
Not:I’ve drunk already three coffees
See also:
Already,stilloryet?