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Already or Yet? Exercise 2
level: Intermediate (B1/B2)
A second exercise on already and yet, with more attention paid to word position, questions where both words are possible, and the use of already in positive statements. If you haven't done exercise 1, try that first.
Grammar review
Already and yet — position and overlap
Position matters:
Yet normally goes at the end of the sentence.
Already normally goes before the main verb (or at the end for emphasis).
Has Sheila gone home yet? — yet at the end
Has Sheila already gone home? — already before the verb
Has Sheila gone home already? — already at end, expressing surprise
When both are possible:
In questions, both words are sometimes acceptable, but with different nuances.
Has Sarah ordered her coffee yet? (neutral question: did it happen?)
Has Sarah already ordered her coffee? (mild surprise: so soon?)
Already in positive statements:
Already is also used in positive statements to say something happened before expected.
I’ve already taken about twenty photos. (more than you might expect)
We already know who can help us.
Yet only in negatives and questions:
Yet does not appear in positive statements when meaning “up to now”.
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