Just, already and yet with the present perfect tense

Hello again. Welcome to 6 Minute Grammar with me, Finn.

And me, Alice. Hello.

Today’s programme is all about the present perfect tense…

and how to use it with the words just , already and yet .

That’s right, and there’ll be a quiz for you at the end to see how much you remember.

Yes. So let’s get started! Now, the present perfect with just – Oh, hold on– Sorry.

Hey Alice. It ‘s Hamish, yeah, I’m here! I’ve just arrived at Kings Cross Station.

Oh–King’s Cross… King’s Cross here? In London?

Yeah, London town. Here I am! My train got in an hour ago. I’ve already visited Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square…

What, already?

Yeah, but I haven’t been on the London Eye yet. I want to go there next. Can you meet me in there in 10 minutes?

Sorry Hamish, we’ve just started the programme– Sorry about that–

Don’t worry, Alice, those were great examples of the present perfect with just , already and yet ! And here ‘s Catherine, hello–

Hello.

to repeat those examples for us. Catherine.

I’ve just arrived at Kings Cross Station.

I’ve already visited Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square.

But I haven’t been on the London Eye yet.

Now, you may have spotted that the sentences with just and already are positive, but the sentence with yet is negative.

Yes, we use just and already mainly in positive sentences.

And yet in negative sentences, and in questions.

Ok. Now let’s look at some other differences between just , already and yet .

First: we use just with the present perfect for something that happened only a short time ago - Hamish has just phoned . He ‘s just arrived in London.

And I ‘ve just told him to call back later.

Now we use already with the present perfect when an action has happened before now - or before we expected it to happen.

Yes, Hamish has already been to Buckingham Palace!

Now let’s look at word order. Both just and already come between the auxiliary and the past participle. Catherine, can we have some examples again, please:

Hamish has just phoned.

He’s already visited Buckingham Palace.

Thanks Catherine.

Hey Alice, it’s me - Hamish - again. So…

I’m sorry, Hamish. I’ve already told you. I’m doing 6 Minute Grammar. I’ll call you in a few minutes.

Great! Another example of already , Alice! I ‘ve already told you .

(can’t hear what he says)

Have I finished yet? No, sorry, we haven’t finished yet. Bye…

Hamish?

Hamish again… Aha! He asked: “Have you finished yet?”

And you said: “We haven ‘t finished yet.”

Yes, yet with present perfect. We use yet to ask if something has happened before now - or to say something has not happened up to now.

So: that’s yet for negative sentences or questions with the present perfect. And yet always comes at the end of the sentence. By the way, Alice, we haven ‘t explained how to form the present perfect yet.

You’re right, Finn. So, we make the present perfect with the subject plus have, has, haven ‘t, hasn’t and the past participle.

Remember, we put just and already between have or has and the past participle .

And we put yet at the end of a negative sentence or question.

You’re listening to BBC Learning English.

(can’t hear what he says)

Hamish?

Hamish. He’s in reception.

Has he got here already ? That was quick.

So, sometimes we can put already at the end of a question to show surprise.

I think it’s time for a quiz now! Number one. I’m going to say a sentence and you have to fill in the gap. Here goes. I haven’t seen Spiderman 2 .

It’s I haven’t seen Spiderman 2 yet . Because you haven ‘t seen the film before now.

Correct. Number 2: Hamish has only been in London for one hour and he’s been to Trafalgar Square.

It’s already . Because we are stressing the fact that he ‘s done something before we expected it.

Great. Now, question 3. [Phone rings] Your phone has rung.

Just .

No, really, your phone has just rung. Pass me the phone, Alice… Hamish, Alice has just told you that we haven’t finished yet !…. Oh, oh, sorry …

What’s the matter?

It’s not Hamish - it’s your mum!

Finn! Never mind. There’s more about this on our website at bbclearningenglish.com. Join us again for more 6 Minute Grammar.

Bye.