PE-34: Present Perfect with already, yet, just, still, ever, never
Six small words that give the Present Perfect its colour — and the exact position each one takes in the sentence.
PE-34: Present Perfect with already, yet, just, still, ever, never
The Present Perfect almost never travels alone. It brings a small companion word that tells your listener how you feel about the news: sooner than expected, a second ago, not happening despite waiting, or never in your whole life. Six words, each with its own fixed position in the sentence.
In this lesson you will learn
- What each of the six words adds to the meaning
- Where each one stands — middle of the sentence or the end
- Which belong to questions, which to negatives
- Why never must not have a second negative next to it
1. The six words at a glance
1already — allaqachon
Sooner than expected. Positive sentences. I've already eaten.
2yet — hali
Questions and negatives, at the end. Have you finished yet?
3just — hozirgina
A moment ago. She has just left.
4still — hamon
Expected but not happened. He still hasn't called.
5ever — biror marta
In questions about life. Have you ever been to Khiva?
6never — hech qachon
Negative by itself. I have never seen snow.
2. already, just, never, ever — in the middle
These four sit between the helper (have/has) and the V3. That position never changes.
Afsona has already done her homework, and she has just started reading.
Afsona uy vazifasini allaqachon qilib boʻldi va hozirgina kitob oʻqishni boshladi.
Have you ever eaten Korean food? — No, I have never tried it.
Hech koreys taomini yeb koʻrganmisiz? — Yoʻq, hech qachon yeb koʻrmaganman.
3. yet — at the end, and only in questions and negatives
already → positive
- I've already seen this film.
- They've already arrived.
yet → question / negative, at the end
- Have you seen this film yet?
- They haven't arrived yet.
There is one useful exception: already can appear in a question to show surprise — "Have you finished already?" means "So fast? I didn't expect that!"
4. still — the one that goes before the helper
Still means something you expected has not happened, and you are getting impatient. Its position is different from all the others: it comes before the negative helper.
I sent the letter a month ago and he still hasn't replied.
Xatni bir oy oldin yuborganman, u hamon javob yozmadi.
Compare: He hasn't replied yet is neutral; still hasn't replied sounds annoyed.
5. All six in one conversation
Here is how they actually sound together. Read it aloud — this is a completely normal exchange between two friends.
— Have you ever tried making plov yourself?
— Yes! I've just made one, actually. Have you eaten yet?
— No, I still haven't had lunch. But my brother has already eaten
everything, and I've never seen him so full.
— Hech oʻzingiz palov pishirib koʻrganmisiz?
— Ha! Hozirgina pishirdim. Siz ovqatlandingizmi?
— Yoʻq, hamon tushlik qilmadim. Akam esa hammasini allaqachon yeb boʻlibdi, uni hech
qachon bunchalik toʻygan holda koʻrmaganman.
Six words, six positions — and not one of them could move somewhere else.
6. Position summary
| Word | Position | Sentence type | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| already | have + already + V3 | positive | I've already eaten. |
| just | have + just + V3 | positive | He has just gone. |
| never | have + never + V3 | negative meaning | I've never flown. |
| ever | have + subject + ever + V3 | question | Have you ever flown? |
| yet | at the end | question / negative | Has it started yet? |
| still | before hasn't / haven't | negative | She still hasn't come. |
7. Common mistakes
I have yet finished my homework.
I have already finished my homework. / I haven't finished it yet.
Have you already eaten yet?
Have you eaten yet?
I haven't never been to Tashkent.
I have never been to Tashkent.
She has still not arrived — I mean, she hasn't still arrived.
She still hasn't arrived.
Did you ever been to Samarkand?
Have you ever been to Samarkand?
Practice
1 Put already in the right place: Jasur has finished his lunch.
Show answer
Jasur has already finished his lunch. Between the helper and the V3.
2 already or yet: — Have you done the washing-up ? — Yes, I've ? done it.
Show answer
yet … already. Yet ends the question; already sits in the middle of the positive answer.
3 What is the difference in feeling? (a) The bus hasn't come yet. (b) The bus still hasn't come.
Show answer
(a) neutral information · (b) impatience — you have been waiting too long and you are not happy about it.
4 Correct it: I have never not seen such a beautiful place.
Show answer
I have never seen such a beautiful place.
Never is already the negative — English allows only one per sentence.
5 Write a question with ever and answer it with never.
Show answer
Model: — Have you ever ridden a horse? — No, I have never ridden one.
Both words sit in the same slot: between the helper and the V3.
Key words — Kalit soʻzlar
- Alreadyallaqachon
- Yethali (savol/inkor)
- Justhozirgina
- Stillhamon
- Everbiror marta
- Neverhech qachon
- Positionoʻrni
- To replyjavob bermoq
- Impatientsabrsiz
- Washing-upidish yuvish
🎯 Remember this
- already, just, never, ever → between have and V3.
- yet → at the end, in questions and negatives only.
- still → before hasn't/haven't, and it sounds impatient.
- already in a question = surprise: Have you finished already?
- One negative per sentence: I have never been, not
haven't never.