Present tenseEnglish level A2

Already / Just / Yet

The three words that live inside Present Perfect: just for a moment ago, already for sooner than expected, yet for what has not happened so far.

Rule

Put just and already between have/has and the V3. Put yet at the end of the sentence, and only in negatives and questions.

Two stand in the middle, one waits at the end: I have just eaten, I have already eaten - but I haven't eaten yet.

just: a moment ago	Subject + have/has + just + V3	I have just finished work.She has just left the office.
already: sooner than expected	Subject + have/has + already + V3	We have already seen this film.He has already paid the bill.
yet: negative (-)	Subject + haven't/hasn't + V3 + ... + yet	I haven't read the book yet.They haven't arrived yet.
yet: question (?)	Have/Has + subject + V3 + ... + yet?	Have you finished yet?Has the train left yet?

already (+)	yet (- / ?)
Positive only: I have already eaten.	Negative and question: I haven't eaten yet.
It is done: The film has already started.	Still waiting: The film hasn't started yet.
Middle position: She has already called.	End position: Has she called yet?

~~Wrong: I have finished my homework yet.~~Correct: I have already finished my homework.Yet does not work in a positive sentence - use already.
~~Wrong: I haven't already eaten.~~Correct: I haven't eaten yet.Negatives take yet, and it goes at the end.
~~Wrong: She has arrived just.~~Correct: She has just arrived.Just stands between has and V3, never at the end.

Already in a question shows surprise: Have you already finished? (that was fast!)
Yet can also mean "so far" in a question: Has he called you yet?
In everyday American English you may hear Past Simple with these words: I just ate. British English keeps Present Perfect: I have just eaten.