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"Yet" is a really useful word in the English language that can take on a lot of different roles to help you speak more clearly. Using this versatile little word can be tricky, but don't worry—in this article, you'll learn about all the different ways you can use this word, along with plenty of examples so you can use "yet" with confidence when you write or speak.
Ways to Use "Yet" in a Sentence
- "I haven't finished my homework yet." It's not done, but it will be soon.
- "Have you met my friend yet?" You don't know if they've met in the past.
- "Our guests have yet to arrive." You expect guests to start showing up soon.
- "He had yet to see them." What you're talking about happened before he saw them.
- "She ate yet another slice." The word "yet" emphasizes how many slices she's eaten.
- "He has yet to visit his niece." You're expressing shock at how long it's taken.
- "This is their best movie yet!" You're expressing enthusiasm about the new movie.
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Describe something that hasn't happened but likely will. Typically, "yet" appears as the last word of a sentence when you're using it this way, and only in combination with a negative sentence. Remember that an adverb modifies a verb, so you're saying that while the action you're discussing hasn't happened yet, you anticipate that it will happen or expect it to happen at some point in the future. Here are some examples: [1] X Research source
- "I haven't completed my homework yet." You've likely started your homework and, while you haven't finished it at the time of speaking this sentence, you anticipate finishing it soon.
- "I haven't eaten breakfast yet." Since breakfast is the first meal of the day, you're saying that you haven't eaten today and are probably hungry and want to eat soon.
- "She hasn't watched that episode yet." The episode has aired, and although the person you're talking about wants to see it and will probably see it soon, she hasn't seen it at this point, so no spoilers.
- "He hasn't called me back yet." You called this person and he didn't answer, but you are expecting him to return your call at some point in the near future.
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Ask if something has happened up to the present time. When you expect something to happen but aren't sure if it has happened yet, ask someone and add "yet" to the end of your question. This lets the person know to expect the thing to happen as well. Here are some examples: [2] X Research source
- "Have you met my husband yet?" You want to know if the person you're talking to has been introduced to your husband. If they haven't up to now, you plan to do so.
- "Has the game started yet?" It's likely that the game was previously delayed and wasn't able to start on time. You're now asking if it is currently underway or still hasn't started.
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Indicate something is unknown or unclear but likely will be. This is a more formal use of the word "yet" in which the word typically appears in the middle of the sentence. You're saying that although you don't know something, you expect to find out soon. For example: [3] X Research source
- "We have yet to determine if she was on board." Something has happened with a vehicle or craft and someone is missing. As of the time of speaking, you don't know if she was on the vehicle or somewhere else.
- "Our guests have yet to arrive." You're throwing a party or gathering and anticipate you'll have guests, although as of the time of speaking they have not shown up.
- "The price has yet to be announced." You're interested in a new product that has been unveiled, but the company hasn't said how much it intends to charge for the product, although you anticipate you'll find out soon.
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Show a situation or event is ongoing. When you use the word "yet" here, you're telling people that something started in the past, is still going on right now, and is expected to continue into the near future. It also lets people know generally that something happening hasn't finished yet. For example: [4] X Research source
- "I have a lot more work yet." You're in the midst of something and still have a lot to do before you'll be finished with it.
- "There is a lot more time yet." Even though you're not done with whatever you've set out to do, you still have time to make it happen.
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Talk about something in the past that has changed. When you're speaking in the past tense, you might need to mention something that was one way in the past but is now a different way. The word "yet" fills in for you nicely to alert your readers or listeners that whatever you're talking about is no longer that way. For example: [5] X Research source
- "He didn't yet know that his girlfriend was at the party." Here, you're likely setting up some sort of confrontation. The guy might have been doing something he didn't want his girlfriend to know about and was unaware that she was there—but he was soon to find out.
- "The law making it illegal to climb the water tower hadn't been passed yet." Presumably, you're telling a story about a time in the past when someone climbed the water tower. It's relevant to your story to explain that at the time, there were no criminal penalties for doing so.
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State that a surprising or bad thing has never happened. In this case, the word "yet" typically comes right after the verb it's modifying. You're talking about something shocking or terrible that hasn't happened up to the time you make your statement. If you're superstitious, you might knock on wood while saying it! Here are some examples: [6] X Research source
- "She has yet to buy a present for his birthday and the party's tomorrow." You're expressing shock that although the party is happening soon, the person you're talking about still hasn't bought a present for the birthday boy.
- "He has yet to meet her parents." You're implying that although this couple has been together for a while, it's a bit surprising that she hasn't introduced him to her folks.
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Stress a point or create a more vivid image. Typically combined with a word such as "another" or "again," the word "yet" used in this sense lets others understand that something is a recurring or repeated issue or problem. It can also indicate that several similar things have piled up. For example: [7] X Research source
- "We have yet another issue to deal with." You've had several issues pop up in the past and now one more has landed on your plate.
- "My mother served her yet another piece of pie." You're implying that the person receiving the pie had already had enough, but your mother gave her another piece anyway.
- "My coffee machine broke down yet again." You're talking to someone who is aware that your coffee machine has broken down in the past, probably more than once, and you're telling them that the machine has once again gone kaput.
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Show enthusiasm or excitement. In this sense, "yet" is used as a sort of superlative. You're letting people know that whatever you're talking about is the best of its kind to date. This also shows that you're really excited about it or really enjoyed it. Here are some examples: [8] X Research source
- "That was her best film yet!" The person you're talking about has been involved with many films in the past but you believe this was the best out of all of them.
- "That was her greatest performance yet!" The person you're talking about has given a lot of great performances, but this one is better than all of the others.
- "A time of 3 hours and 10 minutes, his best marathon yet!" The person you're talking about has run several marathons but has just recorded a personal best time.
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Distinguish between two seemingly contradictory things. When something is relatively complex, it's possible for two things to both be true that seem at first blush like they contradict each other. "Yet" tells people that even though the first thing is true, the second thing is also true. It's possible that you'll need to follow up with an explanation or reason why. For example: [9] X Research source
- "Stella plays tennis well, yet her favorite sport is soccer." The implication here is that Stella might be a more skilled tennis player than she is a soccer player—but soccer is still where her passion lies.
- "I'm good at writing sonnets, but I prefer reading haiku." Although you're proficient at writing longer poetry with a more complex form, you enjoy reading short, simple poetry more.
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Expand on or add context to a statement. Sometimes you want to add some detail to something you're saying so that people get a fuller picture or understand something in more depth. Often, the tidbit you add after "yet" is something that makes the first statement seem ironic, or that seems to contradict the first statement. For example: [10] X Research source
- "The new tenants complained about the noise, yet they continue to play their music loud." You wouldn't think that someone who is quick to make a noise complaint would play loud music, but these new tenants do.
- "She dislikes meeting new people, yet she still showed up at the party." You're implying that there are a lot of people at the party that she doesn't know, which makes it surprising that she showed up given she doesn't like meeting new people.
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Transition between two sentences. When used at the beginning of a sentence, the word "yet" implies that even though the two sentences seem contradictory, they somehow are both true. It can also show that the thing discussed in the second sentence is an exception to the general rule stated in the first sentence. Here are some examples: [11] X Research source
- "She talks very loudly and can be embarrassing. Yet, despite my complaints, I still miss her company." Even though you find the person you're talking about annoying, you enjoy hanging out with her and wish you saw her more often.
- "I must admit I value facts more than mere superstitions. Yet I confess I always sprinkle spilled salt over my shoulder." You don't believe in superstitions as a rule, but there's one superstition that you always participate in anyway.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionMay I say "The best record he has set yet" instead of either "The best record he has ever set" or "The best record he has set so far"?DonaganTop AnswererYou could say that, but it's easier to say, "His personal best." (That's a common sports phrase.)
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QuestionI've seen that yet can be used as in "it is yet to be done." Can you explain this usage?DonaganTop AnswererIn this context "yet" really means "not yet." In other words, "it is yet to be done" means "it is not done yet."
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QuestionI have some doubts about how to use yet in positive sentences. Can I say, "In some countries, it is yet customary for employers to..."?DonaganTop Answerer"Still" is more properly used in that context.
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Tips
- You might've seen or heard "and yet" when using "yet" as a conjunction. The truth is, you don't need that extra "and"—"yet" does all the work just fine without it. [12] X Research sourceThanks
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References
- ↑ https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/present-perfect-just-yet-still-already
- ↑ https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/yet
- ↑ https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-s2-58-uses-of-yet?lp=172
- ↑ https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-s2-58-uses-of-yet?lp=172
- ↑ https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/yet
- ↑ https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/yet
- ↑ https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/yet
- ↑ https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-s2-58-uses-of-yet?lp=172
- ↑ https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/yet
About This Article
Article Summary
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To use "yet" in a sentence, put it at the end of a sentence to describe something that hasn't happened. For example, you could say "I haven't gone to bed yet." You can also use "yet" to emphasize something, like in the sentence "He ate yet another piece of pizza." Also, try replacing "but" in a sentence with "yet." For example, you could say "She's great a tennis, yet her favorite sport is soccer." To learn how to use "yet" in other kinds of sentences, read on!
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