Unit 14: New Year, New Project

Present perfect with just, already and yet

The present perfect is often used to say whether an action has happened or not at the
present time. The action might be necessary or expected by someone, and we want to say
if it is complete or not.
Ive done the washing up (lavado), so come and sit down.

The words just, already and yet are very common with this use of the present perfect.
Nells just phoned with her exam results.
Can you lock (cerrar) the back door? Ive already locked it.
We can still catch the bus. It hasnt left yet.

Just = a very short time ago

Already = before now or earlier than you/I expected
Yet = before now / until now

We use just and already mainly in positive sentences.

Shes just finished her second year at university.
I've already done that module. Wow, thats quick!

We use yet in negative sentences and in questions.

Steve hasnt decided which course to apply for (solicitar) yet.
Has your tutor approved your research topic yet?

Form
The present perfect is made with subject + have/has/havent/hasnt + past participle.
We put just and already between have/has and the past participle.
We usually put yet at the end of a negative sentence or question.

Positive
I think the lecture has just started so we havent missed much.
No, its already finished. It was an hour earlier than usual.

Negative
I havent started the final assignment yet.

Question
Have you handed in your end-of-year assignment yet?

Take note: already

It is possible to put already at the end of a positive sentence. This is more common in
American English.
The lecture has already finished!
The lecture has finished already.

Spoken English

In sentences with just and already, there is usually no stress on has/have or on

just/already. The stress is on the subject and the past participle.
The lecture has already finished.

Nell has just phoned.

But we can put stress on just/already if we want to emphasise how recently or early
something happened.
Has Nell phoned? Yes, youve just missed her.
Call me back when the lecture finishes. Its already finished.
We can also put already at the end of a question and stress it to show surprise.
Wow! Has the lecture finished already?
In sentences and questions with yet, there is stress on the past participle and also some
stress on yet.
I havent missed a lecture yet this year.
Have you handed in your end-of-year assignment yet?

6 Minute Vocabulary

Finn
We're going to listen to Bill and his daughter-in-law talking about Bill's computer.
Bill
I'm having problems with this new software.
Susan
Where's Mike? He's good with computers.
Bill
He's buying postcards at the post office, I think.
Susan
Let's have a look then. I think I can fix this.
Bill
Susan, you're my favourite daughter-in-law! But should I buy a new laptop?
Susan
I think youll have to Bill. This keyboard doesnt work at all.

Alice
Keyboard is a key word in today's show because it's an example of a compound noun.
Finn
In English vocabulary, we often put two or more nouns together to form a new noun, with a
meaning that combines the meanings of the two original nouns. We call these words
compound nouns.
Alice
For example, keyboard. The second part - board - names the thing we are talking about.
Finn
The first part tells us what type of thing it is it's a board with keys.
Alice
Now, we usually write keyboard as one word. Same with laptop, software and postcard.
But we write others as two words.
Finn
For example, post office - it's an office where we post things and we write it as two words.
Alice
Unfortunately there aren't really any rules about when to write compound nouns as one
word and when to write them as two words - so be sure to use a good dictionary!
Alice
And if you were listening carefully earlier on you might have noticed a few compound
nouns right at the start. Popcorn was one of them. We also heard ice cream - another
compound noun!
Finn
And you may also have noticed how these words are pronounced. With compound nouns,
the stress usually goes on the first part, like this - popcorn, ice cream, keyboard.
Alice
Daughter-in-law. This compound noun is made of a noun and a prepositional phrase.
Finn
Now, when we write three-word compounds, we usually use hyphens (guin) - little dashes
(rayas) - between the words.This shows the three words go together.
Alice
And the plural is daughters-in-law, not daughter-in-laws. We are talking about two
daughters - so we add the plural 's' to this word.

Alice
I do have a sister-in-law, and she's a lovely woman. Let's hear about compound nouns
again.
Finn
They're fixed expressions formed from two or three words linked together in different ways.
There are compounds we write as one word, like keyboard, software, and popcorn.
Alice
But we write some of them as two separate words, like post office and ice cream.
Finn
Now it's time for a quiz. I'm going to say a compound noun and I'm also going to say
whether we write it as one word, two words or with hyphens, and you decide if this is true
or false. Ready? Number 1. Popcorn. Two words.
Alice
False. It's one word.
Finn
Number 2. Ice cream. One word.
Alice
False! It's two words.
Finn
And number 3. Daughters-in-law. With hyphens.
Alice
True!
Finn
Here's today's top tip for learning vocabulary: practise the pronunciation of compound
nouns. The stress is on the first word. Try saying 'hot dog' with an equal stress on both
words: this means a dog that is hot. Then say it again with the stress on the first word: hot
dog is a type of sausage snack.

Just and already

The rules
In this session we're learning how to use just, already and yet with the present perfect
tense. First let's look at the meanings of just and already. They both indicate that an
action has happened, but there's an important difference:
Just = a very short time ago

Already = before now, or earlier than expected.

Finn said:
I've just ordered a nice, big, vegetarian breakfast
(I ordered a nice, big, vegetarian breakfast a short time ago)
I've already signed up at the gym
(I've signed up at the gym. It happened earlier than I expected / you expected)

Form
Now, let's remind ourselves how to make the present perfect. It's subject + have/has
+past participle. With the present perfect, we normally use contractions
like I've and we've.
So where do we put just or already? Usually they go between have/has and the past
participle.
Shes just finished her second year at university.
I've already done that module. Wow, thats quick!

But already can also go at the end of the sentence:

I've signed up at the gym already

Both just and already are usually used in positive sentences, not negative ones.
However, we can occasionally use just in a negative sentence for emphasis or to correct
someone.
What are you talking about? I havent just finished. I finished ages ago!
Already may also be used in questions sometimes, especially when the speaker is
surprised by something.
Have we already studied this? I thought it was a new topic!

Yet
More rules
In the last activity, we said we usually use just and already in positive sentences. Yet, on
the other hand, comes at the end of a negative sentence or question. For example, Finn
said:
No I haven't had a cup yet! No coffee for me this year.
Yet means 'before now', or 'until now'. It's often used with something that's expected to
happen, like in this question:
Have you finished your essay yet?
In the question, the speaker expects the essay will be finished.
Form

We usually put yet at the end of a negative sentence or question.

I haven't had lunch yet.

6 Minute Grammar
Just, already and yet with the present perfect tense
Catherine
Ive just arrived at Kings Cross Station.
Ive already visited Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square.
But I havent been on the London Eye yet.

Finn
Now, you may have spotted (descubierto) that the sentences with just and already are
positive, but the sentence with yet is negative.
Alice
Yes: we use just and already mainly in positive sentences.
Finn
And yet in negative sentences, and in questions.

Alice
Ok. Now lets look at some other differences between just, already and yet.
Finn
First: we use just with the present perfect for something that happened only a short time
ago Hamish has just phoned. Hes just arrived in London.
Alice
And Ive just told him to call back later.
Finn
Now we use already with the present perfect when an action has happened before now or before we expected it to happen.
Alice
Yes, Hamish has already been to Buckingham Palace!
Finn
Now lets look at word order. Both just and already come between the auxiliary and the
past participle. Catherine, can we have some examples again, please:
Catherine
Hamish has just phoned.
Hes already visited Buckingham Palace.

Finn
Ive already told you.
Alice
"Have you finished yet?"
Finn
"We havent finished yet."
Alice
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.
Finn
thats yet for negative sentences or questions with the present perfect. And yet always
comes at the end of the sentence.
Alice
We make the present perfect with the subject plus have, has, havent, hasnt and the
past participle.

Finn
Remember, we put just and already between have or has and the past participle.
Alice
And we put yet at the end of a negative sentence or question.
Finn
Has he got here already? That was quick.
Alice
So, sometimes we can put already at the end of a question to show surprise.
Finn
I think it's time for a quiz now! Number one. Im going to say a sentence and you have to
fill in the gap. Here goes. I havent seen Spiderman 2 ______.
Alice
Its I havent seen Spiderman 2 yet. Because you havent seen the film before now.
Finn
Correct. Number 2: Hamish has only been in London for one hour and hes ______ been
to Trafalgar Square.
Alice
Its already. Because we are stressing the fact that hes done something before we
expected it.
Finn
Now, question 3. [Phone rings] Your phone has ______ rung. Alice: just.