Still, already, yet, no longer, any longer, any more

Verb tenses

1. Still, already, yet, no longer, any longer, any more

These particles are used to express whether an action has taken, is taking, or will take place or not.

2. Still, already and yet

• STILL 

  We use it to express that something continues the same way as it happened before, or that something that should have happened, hasn't.

  It is used in affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences. It is placed before the main verb, but after the verb to be.

  

  I'm still looking for a job.

  

  Does he still work for that law firm?

  In negative sentences, still is placed before the auxiliary in negative. When we have the verb to be, we put still between this verb and the particle not.

  

  I still haven't recovered from the flu.

  

  It's still not working!
• ALREADY 

  It is used to express that something has happened before the present moment or before a particular time.

  It is used in affirmative sentences. It is placed before the main verb, but after the verb to be. It can be placed at the end of a sentence to give emphasis.

  

  I already know who the murderer is.

  In this example, he knew who the murderer was before saying the sentence.

  

  I'm already at the station.

  In this example, she is at the station because she got there some time before.
• YET 

  In negative sentences, yet is used to express that something hasn't happend but you expect it to happen in the future. In questions, yet is used to ask if something you expected to happen has happened. It is placed at the end of a sentence.

  

  Are we there yet?

  In this example what the girl expects to happen is to arrive somewhere, so she is asking if that has happened or not.

  

  I don't want to go to sleep yet.

  In this example the action of wanting to go to sleep hasn't happened, but it soon will.

3. Comments on still, already and yet

• In negative sentences we can use both yet and still. Still is used when the speaker is surprised that the action hasn't happened, whereas yet has a neutral tone. In addition, yet goes at the end of a sentence and still doesn't.
  
  

  I still haven't talked to him.

  In this example the speaker uses still because he feels that he should have talked to him already and he hasn't.

  

  I haven't talked to her yet.

  In this example the speaker uses yet because he is just giving a piece of information, he doesn't think he should have already spoken to the girl.
• We can use already in interrogative sentences just like yet. When we use already, though, the speaker is surprised that the action took place.
  
  

  Is it 09:00 yet?

  In this example, either you think it will be 9:00 soon, or you just want to find out what time it is; but it implies that it's probably not 9:00 at the moment.

  

  Is it 07:00 already?

  In this example, it is seven o'clock at the moment and the speaker did not expect that at all.

4. No longer/any longer/any more

• NO LONGER 

  It is used to express that an action used to happen in the past but not now. No longer is used in positive or interrogative sentences and it's placed before the main verb but after the verb to be.

  

  This webpage is no longer available.

  

  Are you no longer studying here next year?
• ANY LONGER / ANY MORE

  They mean the same as no longer but in negative sentences or negative questions and are placed at the end of a sentence.

  

  I can’t eat salt any more.

  

  I can’t stand it any more/any longer!

  In British English they write any more, that is, two separate words, while in American English, they write it in one word: anymore.

Remember!