The word just grammar

Learn English grammar, already, just, still, and yet in those sentences? Those words are the topic of today’s lesson because they are words that learners of English usually struggle with. But once you learn them they’re easy to use.

Easily Learn English Grammar 4 Adverbs. Yet,  Already, Just, And Still

Still, already, just & yet are commonly used adverbs in English. However, their usage can be a little confusing. Today, we are going to learn about their difference and correct usage.

1 Timing

To better understand their usage, we can divide these four words in order of when they happen.

As you can see above, the words ‘already’ and ‘just’ are used to talk about finished actions in the past, ‘yet’ talks about things that are planned to happen in the future. The tricky one is ‘still’, which can have different meanings depending on the grammar used with it. We use the words ‘already’, ‘just’, ‘yet’ and ‘still’ mostly with Present Perfect grammar (have done) because they describe actions that relate to the present and make reference to the time when they happened.

Examples;

1. I’ve just finished my homework. (a few minutes ago)

2. I’ve already watched that movie. (sometime in the past)

3. I haven’t been to the supermarket yet. (plan to do it soon)

4. I still haven’t called my teacher. (plan to do it soon)

Meaning

‘Already’

1. Describe something that has been completed in the near past. 

‘You don’t need to wash up. I’ve already done it’ (Action likely happened several minutes ago)

2. Describe something that happened longer ago.

‘I don’t want to travel to Spain. I’ve already been there!’ (Could have happened several years ago)

3. Express the idea that the action happened quicker than expected.

‘The test started 10 minutes ago, but she’s already finished it!’ (The test is 30 minutes long)

‘Just’

1. Describe something that happened a short time before now.

‘I’ve just finished dinner. Now time for some TV!’ (Few seconds or minutes ago)

2. Describe something that happened in the recent past.

‘William has just come back from America.’ (Could be several days ago)

3. Expressing a precise or exact meaning.

‘That’s just what I wanted to say!’ (exactly/precisely)

4. To describe a strong feeling about something.

‘She is just an amazing singer’ (really/very)

5. When giving orders or requests, but showing a little impatience

‘Just finish the task as quickly as you can!’ (do it now!)

‘Still’

1. Describe something that is going to happen in the near future. (negative sentences).

‘’1’ve been waiting for 20 minutes, but he still hasn’t arrived!’ (Still waiting)

2. Describe that an action is continuing and hasn’t finished yet.

‘He is still washing his car.’ (should be finished by now)

3. Express something that is a habit that has not changed, even if maybe it should have.

‘He is 25 now, but he still lives with his mum.’ (Should be living alone by now)

‘Yet’

1. Describe something that we expect to happen soon. (negative sentences).

‘’1’ve been waiting for 20 minutes, but he hasn’t arrived yet!’ (Still waiting)

2. To express a meaning similar to ‘nonetheless or ‘but’.

‘He has retired, yet he still continues to work.’

Practice Questions

Complete the sentences below using the words in the box.

already    just   yet    still

1. I really love her music. Her songs are ________ amazing!

2. Have you called your boss _______? He is waiting to hear your decision.

3. He’s been outside for hours and he _________ isn’t finished. What is he doing?

4. I can’t meet you tonight I’m afraid. I __________ have plans.

5. Did you read the new J.K. Rowling novel? I _________ haven’t had time to read it.

6. __________ keep the noise down, will you? I’m trying to study in here!

7. The plane arrived 20 minutes ago, but he __________ hasn’t come out of the gate.

8. Don’t worry about making me dinner. I have _________ eaten.

9. The boy knows he can’t win, ______ he won’t give up.

10. Did you say you wanted to find someone to fix your computer. I know __________ the man for the job!

 Answers For 10 Questions go down

So now we going to discuss this in detail. Still, already, just, and yet are commonly used adverbs in English

Intro to the 4 Adverbs. Yet,  Already, Just, And Still

So you’re likely familiar with adverbs. These are words that add extra details to verbs, they describe verbs. Words like slowly, quietly, quickly. 

An example, I slowly walked through the park, or the little girl sat quietly in her room. 

Now the four adverbs that I’m going to discuss with you today, are a little different, they are adverbs of time, meaning they generally describe when something happens, there are a few exceptions, don’t worry we will go through those as well. To understand them visually, take a look at this timeline. 

We can see the past, now, and the future. Already and just are used to talk about actions in the past that are finished. They’re not ongoing, they’re finished, completed, done. Yet is used to talk about things that are planned to happen in the future, and still is the tricky one. 

It can have different meanings depending on the usage. These adverbs of time are mostly used with the present perfect, have done, I have done. This is because they are used to describe actions that are related to the present in terms of their timing. I’m going to give you a couple of examples to demonstrate the timing now. 

With just, we have, I’ve just finished my homework. I’ve just finished my homework, I finished my homework a short while ago. With already, I’ve already watched that movie. I’ve already watched that movie, I watched that movie sometime in the past. 

So just is a short while ago, and already, sometime in the past. It could be a few days ago, it could be a few months ago, we don’t know. But what we do know is that it’s happened longer ago than just, I’ve just watched that movie, I’ve very recently watched it. I’ve already watched that movie, a bit further back in time.

Let’s take a look at yet. I haven’t been to the supermarket yet. I haven’t been to the supermarket yet. This means that it’s planned, but not done. You’ve planned something, 

but you haven’t done it yet. See, a perfect place to use that word. And still, I still haven’t called my teacher. I still haven’t called my teacher. In this context, it also means that it’s planned, 

but not done. This meaning is very similar to the third example, the previous example. The difference is that this implies, the still here implies that this action should have already been completed, but you still haven’t done it yet. 

The still here focuses a little bit more on that you should have already performed that action, but you still haven’t. Maybe you’ve been procrastinating, maybe you downloaded candy crush, I did that once. I know that’s a very old game,  I, it was ridiculous. Anyway, moving on.

Already in Full Details Use With Example

So we’ve got the basic outline, let’s dive a little deeper and look at them as individuals. Already, already has three basic usages. First usage, it’s used to describe something that happened in the near past as we discussed before. You don’t need to wash up, I’ve already done it. 

I’ve very recently washed up. The action likely happened several minutes ago. Second usage, we use it to describe an action that happened longer ago. I don’t want to travel to Spain, I’ve already been there. That is the biggest lie I’ve ever said. I always want to travel to Spain. 

In this sentence, the meaning of already could be months or years in the past. It’s much further in the past than the first example. The third use of already, and this is an important one is to express the idea that something happened quicker than expected. 

The test started 10 minutes ago, but she’s already finished it. That is way quicker than I expected. Maybe the test is meant to be 30 or 60 minutes long, but the student finished it in 10 minutes. This action took place sooner than expected. I can’t believe you finished it already. 

Let’s have a quick test to check your understanding. I’m going to show you two sentences, and I want you to think about the meaning of already in that sentence, whether it’s the first usage, the near past, the second usage, longer ago, or the third usage, quicker than expected. 

First one, I don’t want to see that concert, I’ve already seen them live. I don’t want to see that concert, I’ve already seen them live. One, two or three? Near past, longer ago, or quicker than expected? If you chose number two, then you are correct. Number two, it’s 11:00 am, and he’s already eating his lunch. It’s 11:00 am and he’s already eating his lunch. I can relate hard with this sentence. 

I can really relate with the sentence. Whenever I have a packed lunch, I just can’t stop thinking about it until I’m finally eating it. Which usage one, two, or three? If you chose three, then you are correct— joking, you’re correct, did that make you jump? Yeah, he’s eating his lunch sooner than expected, but he knows his body clock so he can do what he wants.

Just in Full Details Use With Examples

Let’s move on to the next word, just. Just has a very similar meaning to already as we have already discussed a short while ago, but it expresses that something happened much more recently. I’ve just finished dinner, now it’s time for dessert. I finished dinner moments ago and now I’m ready for dessert. However, just can talk about something that happened a little longer ago, it could be used to describe something that happened recently. 

For example, William has just come back from America. William could have come back several days ago rather than moments ago, but this is still considered recent. 

I’ve also got three more usages of the word just. They all have a similar general meaning in that they express a strong feeling towards something. An example, that’s just what I wanted to say. That’s exactly or precisely what I wanted to say. 

So just here is used to express a precise or exact meaning. That’s just what he thought, that’s exactly precisely what he thought. Another example, she is just an amazing singer. She is just an amazing singer. It’s like saying simply, she is simply an amazing singer. So just here is used to show a strong feeling about something. 

I strongly feel that she is an amazing singer. What about this? Just finish the task as quickly as you can. Just finish the task as quickly as you can. Just here is used to express impatience when giving orders. Just do it, do it now. So those were all about having a strong feeling towards something. We now have two more meanings, these are used very frequently. 

If I phone my husband and he’s at work and he says, «What do you need?» I might say, I just wanted to tell you that I love you. I just wanted to tell you that I love you. We use just here to reduce the force of a statement and almost to suggest that it’s not important. Oh, it’s not important, I just wanted to tell you that I love you. 

Another example, can I just borrow your phone for one minute? Can I just borrow your phone? That’s all I want, it’s not much, please can I borrow your phone? And lastly, we can use it to mean simply or only. I’m just a student, so I can’t afford it. I’m simply or only a student so I can’t afford it. Okay, so we have those seven usages, let’s test you once again to check your understanding. 

What is just being used for in this sentence? You should call Tom, he is just the man for the job. I might have given it away with my hand. You should call Tom, he’s just the man for the job. It’s the third one, to express a precise or exact meaning. He is the exact man for the job.

 And the next sentence, I don’t want to hear any excuses just to be quiet. I don’t want to hear any excuses, just be quiet. Which meaning is it? It’s usage number five, to express inpatients when giving orders. So we’ve already spoken about already and just, but we still haven’t spoken about still or yet. 

Still in Full Details Use With Examples

So let’s move on to these last two. I mentioned earlier that still can be a little bit tricky. This is because it can have various applications. Let’s take a look. We can use it to describe something that is going to happen in the near future. In this case, it’s used in a negative context. 

I’ve been waiting for 20 minutes, but he still hasn’t arrived. Still is often used with continuous grammar, describing an action that is continuing and hasn’t finished yet. He is still washing his car. He is continuing to do so, he hasn’t finished yet. 

This can imply that somebody is taking longer than they should or something is taking longer than it should. He’s still cleaning his car. He’s still out there, he loves that car. The last use of still is to talk about habits, in particular, habits that have not changed even if they may be should have changed. 

An example, he’s 35, but he still lives with his mum. Obviously it’s absolutely fine to live with your mum when you’re 35, whatever works for you. I mean the housing prices now. Moving on. However, there is that implication that it’s not normal to do that. 

It’s a habit that should have been broken according to society. Another example, do you still go to that nightclub? Oh, we stopped going ages ago. It’s implying, oh, you still do that. Oh, we stopped that ages ago. It doesn’t always have to be negative. Do you still work for Google? 

For example, do you still work for Google? «Yes,» Cool, so there’s still for you. It’s used to describe something that’s going to happen in the near future, or likely to happen in the near future, an action in progress that still hasn’t finished, or to talk about a habit that hasn’t changed, sometimes with an implication that it should have changed. I hope that’s clear for you.

Yet in Full Details Use With Example

Finally, let’s talk about yet. This adverb of time has a couple of meanings, but the most common one is to express that something’s going to happen soon. Have you finished your homework yet? 

I expect you to finish it soon, but I don’t know if you’ve completed the task or not. Comparing this to already, have you already finished your homework? Implies a little bit more that I’m shocked that you’ve done it so soon. 

Have you already finished your homework? If I say, have you finished your homework yet? There’s no strong implication that you’ve done the homework quicker or slower than expected. Have you still not finished your homework? That implies that your homework is being completed at a much slower rate than expected. 

There is another meaning of yet, and it’s similar to the meaning of nonetheless. Nonetheless, what a great word to say. Nevertheless was always a favourite of my students. 

Nonetheless means despite what has been said or done, it’s similar to, but. Nonetheless, he’s retired yet he still continues to work. He’s retired nevertheless or nonetheless, he still continues to work. Right, that is it for today’s grammar lesson.

Questions Answers

1. just 2. yet 3. still 4. already 5. Still

Questions Answer

6. Just 7. still 8. already 9. yet 10. just

Video For Learn English Grammar Still, Already, Just And  Yet

Source From English With Lucy

The word just is an important word in English used in many different ways. Just can be used as a time expression, to say that something is important, to emphasize words, as a synonym for ‘only’, and in a number of fixed expressions. Use this guide to just to help you use this keyword in English correctly.

Just — As a Time Expression

Just = Recently

Just is most often used to express that something has recently happened. Use just with the present perfect tense to indicate that an action has recently occurred and influences the present moment of speaking.

I’ve just been to the bank.
Tom’s just arrived. You can speak to him now.
Mary’s just finished the report.

Exception: American English vs. British English

In everyday conversation American English uses just with the past simple, as well as the present perfect, to express that something recently happened. In British English, the present perfect is used.

American English

He just finished lunch.
OR
He’s just finished lunch.

British English

Jane’s just been to the bank.
NOT
Jane just went to the bank.

Just = Immediately

Just can also be used as a time expression to mean that something important will happen immediately. In this case, use the present continuous tense or ‘going to’ to express that something is about to happen.

He’s just getting ready to go now.
I’m just going to finish this and then we can go.

Just = Close to the Time

Just is also used to express that something happened at approximately to the time mentioned in phrases such as: just after, just before, just when, just as.

I saw Tom just as he was leaving yesterday.
Jennifer finished the report just as the boss asked her for it.
Just when you think you’ve seen everything, something like this happens!

Just — as an Adverb Meaning ‘Only’

Just is also used as an adverb meaning ‘only’, ‘merely’, ‘simply’, and so on.

Don’t worry about that cup, it’s just an old thing.
She said she just needed some vacation time to relax.
Richard is just the spokesman.

Just — as an Adverb Meaning ‘Exactly’

Just can also be used as an adverb meaning ‘exactly’ or ‘precisely’.

That’s just the information I need to understand the situation.
Alexander is just the person for the job.

Just — as an Adjective Meaning ‘Honest’

Just is also used as an adjective to mean that someone is honest, or fair in his judgement.

He’s a just man so you can expect to be treated well.
You need to be just with all your students, not just the ones you like.

Fixed Expressions With ‘Just’

Just is also used in a number of idiomatic and fixed expressions. Here are some of the most common:

Just in Time = Ready at the Exact Moment Necessary

In the business world many products are made ‘just in time’. In other words, they are ready when a customer needs them and not before.

Our supplier uses just in time manufacturing to fill our orders.
Using a just in time approach reduces our warehousing costs by 60%.

Just off the Boat = Naive, Not Experienced

Someone who is ‘just off the boat’ is new to a situation and doesn’t understand certain unwritten rules, or ways of behavior.

Give him some time to adjust to the new position. Remember he’s just off the boat and will need some time to get up to speed.
They seemed as if they were just off the boat because they couldn’t understand what was being asked of them.

Just the Ticket = Exactly What Is Needed

‘Just’ is used like ‘exactly’ when expressing something that is precisely what is needed in a situation.

The two weeks off work was just the ticket. I feel like a new man.
I think your ideas are just the ticket for our marketing campaign.

Just What the Doctor Ordered = Exactly What Is Needed

‘Just what the doctor ordered’ is another idiomatic expression that expresses the idea that something precisely what is needed in a situation.

I think his solution was just what the doctor ordered.
The grammar review was just what the doctor ordered for getting students ready.

by Liz Walter

Just is a really annoying word for learners of English! It’s very common and we use it in lots of different situations, often with quite different meanings. In this post, I will try to explain some of the most common ways in which we use it – not only on its own, but as a part of some common phrases.

We often use just to talk about when something happens. It can mean ‘a very short time ago’ or ‘very recently’:

I’ve just spoken to Tom. (UK)/I just spoke to Tom. (US)

They had just arrived in London.

If we want to be more emphatic, we can say only just:

Don’t get mud on the floor – I’ve only just cleaned it. (UK)/I only just cleaned it. (US)

Rather confusingly, just can also be used with present tenses to mean ‘now’ or ‘in a very short time’:

I’ll do it in a minute. I’m just having a cup of tea.

We’ll be a bit late – we’re just leaving the house.

If we say we are just about to do something, we mean that we are going to do it almost immediately:

I think Maria’s just about to leave.

The rainy season was just about to start.

And if we say that something happens just as another thing happens, we mean that they happen at the same time:

They arrived just as we were leaving.

A completely different, but also extremely common, meaning of just is ‘only’:

I thought the book was about Europe but it was just about France.

We often use this just to show that something isn’t as important, large, difficult, etc. as someone might think it is:

You just need to work a bit harder.

I don’t live here – I’m just a tourist.

They were just trying to have some fun.

We often use just as with an adjective when we are comparing two things, to say that they have the same amount of a quality. Remember that you need to say just as …. as if the adjective is followed by a noun or noun phrase:

Mick can be rude, but you’re just as bad.

Her new book is just as good as her last one.

Finally, just can be used as a general emphasizing word:

I just don’t believe it!

There are certainly other subtle uses of just, but I hope this post has helped you to understand and use the main ones.

• I’ve just spoken to John.

• Have you seen what’s just happened to the share price?

• They had just finished their dinner when the phone rang.

Just can also be used in place of the word «only»:

• Can I have just a little bit of cake, please?

• That’s just an excuse.

Although it is now old-fashioned, just can be used as a noun, relating to the concept of justice and standing in for ‘right’ or ‘correct’:

• Given the severity of the crime, life imprisonment was just.

• Her charity raises money for a just cause.

Finally, just is used in a wide variety of informal phrases:

• just a minute = wait
• just about = nearly
• just as well = for the best
• just help yourselves = go ahead
• just so = neat and tidy; precise

If we reproduce the structures with simpler content, we have alternatives as below, for example in answer to the question Why did he do that?

He’s probably [just tired].

He’s just [probably tired].

..

He probably [just didn’t think].

He just [probably didn’t think].

If we replace just with a different adverb, we have alternatives such as:

He probably [never thought about it].

He never [probably thought about it].

..

He probably [already knows that].

He already [probably knows that].

For me, the first alternative in each case is the natural one.

My natural inclination is supported by The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language (p576). The CGEL distinguishes verb-phrase oriented adjuncts from clause-oriented adjuncts.

Verb-phrase oriented adjuncts, as the name suggests, modify verb phrases and are » … likely to be positioned in the VP or adjacent to the VP.» Clause oriented adjuncts «… are less closely associated with the VP constituents and less likely to be positioned in the VP or adjacent to the VP.

The CGEL follows by noting that the positioning of VP-oriented adjuncts:

… correlates with a semantic observation, namely that VP-oriented
adjuncts denote modifications of the details of the predicate of a
clause

whereas clause-oriented adjuncts

… represent modifications to the applicabilty
of the clause content. That is, their semantic effect is to
characterise how the propositional content of the clause relates to
the world or the context: … (including) the array of possible
situations within which it is true (modality).

The CGEL classifies just as an adverb of degree, and as such it belongs in the VP-oriented adjunct category. Probably, on the other hand, is a clause-oriented adjunct.

The CGEL then has a section entitled Adjunct orientation and linear position. It notes:

… if a clause-oriented adjunct AdvP and a VP-oriented adjunct are
both in the central position, they will be in that order, or will
acquire a different and perhaps unusual meaning if not in that order:

It probably sometimes fails.

?It sometimes probably fails

(The question mark indicates a construction of dubious grammaticality.)

In conclusion, it is worth noting CGEL’s general comment about adjunct positioning:

Only rather broad and approximate flexible generalisations about
adjunct placement can be made. There is a great deal of variation in
use, and features of content, style, prodsody, and euphony play a role
in some decisions.

In today’s lesson, we are going to look at the meaning and use of the adverbs: still, yet, already and just.

STILL

The adverb still is used to say that the action or situation is continuing. It normally goes with the verb, in the middle of the sentence.

Examples:

• At 10 o’clock last night, the bakery was still working.
• Are you still looking for an apartment? I’m renting one.
• Can you believe that Brian still lives with his parents?

Although still goes with the verb, in spoken English, you will often hear it at the end of a sentence.

Example:

• Do you live at the same address still? (instead of ‘Do you still live at the same address?’)

YET

Yet is an adverb meaning ‘until now’. Since it often refers to the time that began in the past and is continuing in the present, we usually use it in the Present Perfect negative and interrogative sentences. It always occupies the end position in a sentence.

Examples:

• Have you finished your homework yet?
• I haven’t finished my homework yet.
• Have you got the mail yet?
• I haven’t got the mail yet.

Remember that you can never use yet in statements. We use already instead of yet in affirmative sentences.

• She has already packed her bag. (She has packed her bag yet.)

Compare still and yet:

• It’s been snowing all night, and it’s still snowing.
• Although it’s been snowing all night, it hasn’t stopped snowing yet.

Adverbs: Still – Yet – Already – Just

ALREADY

The adverb already is used to say that something happened sooner than expected. It usually goes with the Present Perfect and Past Perfect Tenses. It takes the position between the auxiliary and the main verb in the sentence.

Examples:

• Can it be that Darren has already left? He was here a minute ago.
• They had already picked up the kids from school before they came here.
• Peter asked Bob to come with him to the cinema, but he’d already seen the film.
• I’m afraid that I’ve already paid all my bills and have very little money left.

JUST

The adverb just refers to the time which was a very short time ago or at the present moment.

Examples:

• I’ve just seen a postman going down the street (a very short time ago)
• I just can’t believe that uncle Patrick died. (at the present moment)
• Garry arrived at the train station just in time to catch the train.
• Mum’s just finished cooking lunch. Shall we set the table?

Adverbs: Still – Yet – Already – Just

Expressions with just

Just about 

Meaning: almost.

I’ve just about finished my report. 

Just like that

Meaning: all of a sudden, unexpectedly.

Can you believe that he moved to Australia, just like that?

Just as well

Meaning: It is a good/lucky thing that…

It’s just as well we brought the umbrellas with us, as it seems like rain.

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