Anonymous  +  348369 Sun, 08 Apr 07 02:57 PM Is it possible to use 'already' in negative sentences ? (especially in the Present Perfect tense) thx! Anonymous Tenses, Negatives, Present Perfect

	Clive  +  348424 Sun, 08 Apr 07 05:45 PM Hi, Is it possible to use 'already' in negative sentences ? (especially in the Present Perfect tense) thx! Seems OK to me, although I had to think for a moment to find this example. The reason that I have not already cooked dinner is that the stove is not working. Best wishes, Clive Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member 29,627 El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo Tenses, Negatives, Present Perfect

	Grammar Geek  +  348519 Sun, 08 Apr 07 11:06 PM I think you might mean "yet." You are starting there, but you haven't started there yet.  I don't yet work for that company. Using "still" is a completely different meaning. You used to work there, but you don't work there anymore. I don't still work for that company.  You can use already, but it's not very common, at least in my experience. You can use it like this: Don't tell me you have eaten already! I planned to take you out to dinner. (Funny how both Clive and I thought of food examples.) In the company example, that's present, not present perfect. Already is common with negative present. If you don't already have your books open to page 3, please do that now. If you don't already have your seatbelt on, please fasten it so we can get going. Grammar Geek Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006 Veteran Member 19,667 Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random! Negatives, Present Perfect

	Bokeh  +  348530 Sun, 08 Apr 07 11:38 PM  Grammar Geek wrote: Using "still" is a completely different meaning. You used to work there, but you don't work there anymore. I don't still work for that company. I agree about yet but dont see the problem with still. I still haven't cooked the dinner. I haven't yet cooked the dinner. What's the big difference? Bokeh Grammar

	CalifJim  +  348603 Mon, 09 Apr 07 07:03 AM Is it possible to use 'already' in negative sentences ? (especially in the Present Perfect tense) thx! As mentioned above, it is possible for a native speaker, after thinking it over, to construct such a sentence.  However, it is not a regularly used pattern. He has already arrived.  He has arrived already. He has not yet arrived.  He has not arrived yet.   He has still not arrived. *He has not already arrived.  *He has not arrived already. *He has yet not arrived.  *He has not still arrived.  *He has still arrived. The use of still not highlights the continuation up to the present of a state that began in the past. The use of not yet gives the impression that a continuing state is expected to end when a future event occurs. We have been waiting for a long time, and he has still not arrived.  (Backward looking.) He has not yet arrived, but we expect him to arrive soon.  (Forward looking.) CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,405 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche Tenses, Negatives, Present Perfect

	Grammar Geek  +  348734 Mon, 09 Apr 07 04:19 PM  Bokeh wrote:  Grammar Geek wrote: Using "still" is a completely different meaning. You used to work there, but you don't work there anymore. I don't still work for that company. I agree about yet but dont see the problem with still. I still haven't cooked the dinner. I haven't yet cooked the dinner. What's the big difference? Ah, I see. I depends where you put the "still." I still don't work there = I don't work there yet. I don't still work there = I worked there in the past but no longer do. Grammar Geek Grammar