"Already," "yet," "still," and "anymore" are adverbs of time that are often used to talk about actions or situations around the present moment. While they can seem similar, they each have distinct meanings and grammatical uses.
Already
* Meaning: "Already" indicates that something has happened sooner than expected or at an earlier time than another event. It often expresses a sense of surprise.
* Use: It is typically used in affirmative statements and questions.
* Position: It usually goes in the mid-position of a sentence: before the main verb or after a modal verb (e.g., have, has, will, can).
* Examples:
* "I've already finished my homework." (I finished it sooner than you thought I would.)
* "Is it lunchtime already?" (I'm surprised it's so late.)
* "She had already left when I arrived."
Yet
* Meaning: "Yet" is used to talk about something that is expected to happen, but has not happened up to the present moment.
* Use: It is most commonly used in negative statements and questions.
* Position: It almost always comes at the end of the sentence.
* Examples:
* "Have you finished your homework yet?" (I'm asking if the expected action has happened.)
* "I haven't had lunch yet." (I'm still waiting to have lunch.)
* "The package hasn't arrived yet."
Still
* Meaning: "Still" shows that a situation or action is continuing and has not stopped. It can suggest that the continuation is surprising or longer than expected.
* Use: It is used in all sentence types: affirmative, negative, and questions.
* Position: It usually goes in the mid-position: before the main verb or after a modal verb. In a negative sentence, "still" comes before the auxiliary verb.
* Examples:
* "It's 10 PM and I'm still working." (I'm surprised I'm working so late.)
* "Are you still living in the same apartment?" (I'm asking if the situation has continued.)
* "I still haven't found my keys." (I've been looking for a long time, and the situation hasn't changed.)
Anymore
* Meaning: "Anymore" means "any longer" or "no longer." It indicates that something that used to happen or be true in the past no longer happens or is no longer true.
* Use: It is primarily used in negative statements and questions.
* Position: It typically comes at the end of the sentence.
* Examples:
* "I don't play the piano anymore." (I used to play, but I stopped.)
* "Do you live in New York anymore?"
* "I couldn't trust him anymore."
Important Note: In British English, "any more" is often written as two words, while in American English, "anymore" is more common as a single word when referring to time.
NOTE: Already is used in affirmative sentences.
Yet and anymore are used in negative sentences.
Still is used in either affrnative or negative sentences.
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