Still / any more / yet / already / even

Still = a situation is continuing; it hasn't changed. It goes in the middle of the sentence like a frequency adverb: before an ordinary verb, after be, after an auxiliary.

• It's 10 a.m. and Minh is still in bed!

• My grandpa is 80, but he still works in his garden every day.

• Are you still hungry?

Not … any more (or not … any longer) = it was true before, but not now. It goes at the end of the sentence. You can write any more or anymore (anymore is more common in American English). No longer means the same, is a bit more formal, and goes in the middle with a positive verb.

• Lan doesn't live in Hue any more. She moved to Hanoi.

• Nam no longer works at the bank.

• Ha used to smoke, but she doesn't smoke anymore.

Still can also mean “in spite of that”:

• The test was easy, but I still made mistakes.

Yet is used in negatives and questions, at the end of the sentence, and shows that the speaker expects something to happen. Already is used in affirmatives (and questions) to show that something happened sooner than expected; it usually goes in the middle, sometimes at the end. Both often go with the present perfect — see the lesson “Present perfect with just / already / yet / ever”.

• I haven't finished my homework yet.

• Have you read the report yet?

• Don't cook for me. I've already eaten.

• Have you finished already? That was quick!

  already in a question = surprise that it happened so soon

• Did you eat yet?

  informal American English; also: Have you eaten yet?

Still … not and not … yet are close in meaning, but still goes before the negative auxiliary and shows the speaker is impatient or surprised — it should have happened by now.

• He hasn't answered yet.

  neutral — he'll probably answer soon

• I texted Minh on Monday and he still hasn't answered.

  impatient — he should have answered by now

• Is your sister still at university? — Yes, she hasn't graduated yet.

💡Remember: not … yet = it hasn't happened, but you expect it to; still … not = it should have happened by now. And don't add already to every past sentence: I met him yesterday is complete on its own. Use already only to stress that something happened sooner than expected.

Even shows that something is surprising or unexpected. It goes before the surprising part, or in the middle of the sentence like still / already.

• Everyone loves this song. Even my grandma sings it!

• Hoa works every day, even on Sundays.

• Tuan loves languages. He even speaks a little Korean.

Not even / can't even / didn't even stress that not even the simplest thing happened:

• He was so rude. He didn't even look at me.

• I'm so tired I can't even think.

Even + comparative = still more. Before a clause (subject + verb), use even though / even if, not even on its own — see the lesson “Although / though / despite”.

• Today is hot, but tomorrow will be even hotter.

• Even though it was raining, we went to the beach.

  not: Even it was raining

• ✗I don't work there no more.

  ✓I don't work there any more. / I no longer work there.

  Don't use no more here; standard English uses only one negative.

• ✗She still not knows the answer.

  ✓She still doesn't know the answer.

  The negative still needs doesn't; still goes before it.

• ✗Don't worry, I have yet sent the email.

  ✓Don't worry, I have already sent the email.

  Affirmative sentence → already.

• ✗I haven't eaten breakfast already.

  ✓I haven't eaten breakfast yet.

  Negative sentence → yet.

• ✗She doesn't still live with her parents. She moved out in May.

  ✓She doesn't live with her parents any more. She moved out in May.

  To say something has stopped → not … any more.

• ✗Even it was raining, we went out.

  ✓Even though it was raining, we went out.

  Before a clause, use even though / even if.