Still
Learn Still in English and use it to show something continues or to add contrast in everyday sentences.
Still shows that something continues. It can also add contrast, surprise, or persistence. The exact feeling can change with sentence position and context.
Use still to say an action or state continues at this time. It often means the situation started before now and has not changed. This use is common in affirmative and negative statements.
Still usually comes before the main verb. With be, still usually comes after the be verb. This position gives the sentence its normal meaning.
| Rule |
|---|
 Put still before the main verb. |
| Put still after am, is, are, was, and were. |
| Put still before have, has, and had when they are main verbs. |
Still can add a small contrast between two ideas. It often shows that one fact is true even when another fact makes it surprising. In some contexts, native speakers may also choose yet or another structure, so meaning can depend on tone.
Still works in affirmative sentences and in negative sentences. In affirmative sentences, it shows continuation or persistence. In negative sentences, it often shows that a change has not happened.
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
 affirmative | It states that something continues or remains true. |
 negative | It states that something has not changed yet. |
 persistence | It shows that a situation continues, sometimes longer than expected. |
Still usually focuses on continuation. Yet usually focuses on something expected that has not happened up to now, especially in negatives and questions. In some sentences, speakers may choose one or the other for a different feeling, so the choice is not always a strict rule.
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
 still | It shows that a situation continues now. |
 yet | It shows that something expected has not happened up to now, or asks if it has happened. |
 already | It shows that something happened earlier than expected or before now. |
You can now use still to talk about actions and states that continue. You can also use it to add contrast or surprise in simple sentences. You can place it in the usual position and see the basic difference between still, yet, and already.