英语单词短语词组“grammar/british-grammar/already-still-or-yet”的中文翻译、释义及用法解析-英汉词典

We usealreadyto refer to something which has happened or may have happened before the moment of speaking.Alreadycan sometimes suggest surprise on the part of the speaker, that something is unexpected:

Is it seven o’clockalready?(The speaker didn’t expect it to be so late.)

We useyetmost commonly in questions and negatives, to talk about things which are expected but which have not happened:

Is it seven o’clockyet?(The speaker thinks that probably it’s almost seven o’clock.)

A:
Where will you be staying?
B:
I haven’tdecidedyet,but somewhere in the city centre.

Alreadyrefers to things which have happened or which people think may have happened.Yetrefers to things which have not happened or which people think may not have happened.

We usestillnotyetoralreadyto refer to the continuation of a situation:

Istillmeet my friends from my schooldays now and then.(I continue to meet my friends)

Not:I already meet my friendsorI yet meet my friends

Compare

A: Is your sisterstillat university? B: Yes. She’s got one more year to do.	I know she was at university. Does that continue to be true?
A: Is your sister at universityyet? B: No. She’s only 17. She’ll go next year.	I expect that she will go to university. Is she there now?
A: Is your sisteralreadyat university? She’s only 17! B: Yes. She started this year. She’s so clever they let her enter a year early.	I’m surprised if your sister is at university. I did not expect it to happen until later.

Negatives withyetmean that something has not happened up to now:

I haven’tspoken to Henry about the caryet.

Negatives withstillsuggest that the situation should have changed, but it has not:

Istillhaven’tfound my passport. I know it’s here somewhere.(I’ve been looking for it for a long time. I should have found it by now)

Warning:

We usually putyetafter the main verb, whereas we usually putstillafter the subject.

Compare

I haven’t finishedyet.	Istillhaven’t finished.
You know, it’s dark now and she hasn’t arrivedyet.	You know, it’s dark now and shestillhasn’t arrived.

Negatives withalreadyare far less common than negatives withyetandstill. They usually refer to things which should have happened before they did happen:

If you’ve already registered, the price is 50 pounds. If you haven’t alreadyregistered, it’s 75 pounds for late registration.

I was surprised that they hadn’t alreadytold me the news.

Already,stilloryet?

Alreadyoryet?

Already,yetorstill?

Negatives withalready,still,yet