If you already read texts in English, you’ve definitely seen still and yet many times. However, even after years of study, many learners pause and think before using them. If that happens to you, don’t worry, it’s completely normal.

The reason is simple: still and yet are not only about grammar. More importantly, they are about how you, as the speaker, see the situation at the moment of speaking.

So, instead of memorising rigid rules, let’s look at how these words really work in everyday English.

The Basic Contrast You Need to Understand First

To begin with, English often contrasts what is continuing now with what has not happened so far.

That’s why sentences like these are so common:

It’s still winter; it isn’t spring yet.
It’s still Monday; it isn’t Tuesday yet.

Here’s the key idea you should notice:

• still points to what continues,
• yet points to what has not arrived.

Once you understand this contrast, everything else starts to make more sense.

Using Still When Something Continues

Most of the time, you’ll use still in affirmative sentences. You do this when you want to say that a situation started earlier and has not changed.

I’m still at work.
She’s still sleeping.
We’re still talking about the same issue.

In all these examples, you are telling the listener: “This hasn’t changed.”

Very often, still also suggests that something is lasting longer than expected.

Are you still waiting for a reply?
He’s still trying to fix his computer.
They’re still stuck in traffic.

Even if you don’t say it directly, the idea of “I thought this would be over by now” is there.

Using Yet When Something Has Not Happened

Now let’s talk about yet.

In everyday English, yet appears most often in negative sentences. When you use it, you are simply saying that something has not happened up to now, but you expect it to happen.

I haven’t eaten yet.
She hasn’t replied yet.
We haven’t made a decision yet.

These sentences are neutral. They don’t show emotion — they only describe timing.

Yet in Questions: Checking, Not Complaining

You also use yet very naturally in questions, especially when you are just checking the situation.

Have you finished yet?
Has he arrived yet?
Have they told you yet?

When you ask these questions, you’re not expressing surprise or annoyance. You’re simply asking if the expected moment has arrived.

How Still and Yet Work Together in Real Speech

In real conversations, English speakers often use still and yet together to make things very clear.

Have you sent the email yet?
No, I haven’t sent it yet — I’m still waiting for the information.

Did she leave yet?
No, she hasn’t left yet — she’s still here.

This contrast is extremely natural and very common in spoken English.

Now, Pay Attention: Using Still in Negative Sentences

Here is a point you really need to understand.

However, it is possible to use still in negative sentences.
When you do this, the meaning changes slightly.

For example, instead of saying:

He hasn’t done the work yet.

you can say:

He still hasn’t done the work.

When you choose still here, you are not just giving information. You are communicating surprise, frustration, or annoyance. Very often, when speaking, the word still is stressed in the sentence.

You’re basically telling the listener: “I expected this to be done by now — and it isn’t.”

Compare the feeling:

He hasn’t done the work yet. → neutral
He still hasn’t done the work. → annoyed or surprised

Same situation, different attitude.

Still in Questions: Neutral or Impatient — You Decide

You can also use still in questions, and again, you control the meaning.

In many cases, the question is neutral:

Do you still live near here?
Are you still working there?

You’re simply asking if the situation continues.

However, in other contexts, still clearly shows impatience or surprise:

Are you still in the shower?
Are they still arguing about that?

Here, you expected the situation to have ended already.

A Special Use: Still (or Even) in Comparisons

Sometimes, still appears in comparative sentences to show that something is more surprising than expected.

My brother is tall, but my uncle is still taller.
I thought the test was hard, but the second part was still harder.

Very often, English speakers also use even in the same way:

My English is bad, and my French is even worse.

In all these cases, the idea of “this goes beyond what I expected” is very clear.

Why This Takes Time to Learn

At this point, you probably understand the explanations. Still, you might feel unsure when speaking — and that’s normal.

The reason is that native speakers don’t think in terms of rules. They think in terms of:

• what continues,
• what hasn’t happened yet,
• and what they expected to change.

Because of that, still and yet become natural only with exposure, listening, and real use.

Final Takeaway

So, remember this:

• Use still when something continues.
• Use yet when something hasn’t happened up to now.
• Use still in negatives or questions when you want to show surprise or annoyance.
• Context and tone often matter more than grammar itself.

Once you start thinking this way, choosing between still and yet becomes much easier, and much more natural.

Frequently Asked Questions About Still and Yet

When do I use still in English?

You use still when a situation continues at the moment of speaking.
In other words, something started earlier and has not changed.

I’m still at work.
She’s still sleeping.
We’re still waiting for an answer.

You’re telling the listener: “This is continuing.”

When do I use yet in English?

You use yet when something has not happened so far, but you expect it to happen.

I haven’t eaten yet.
She hasn’t replied yet.
We haven’t decided yet.

Here, yet means “up to now”.

Can still and yet be used together?

Yes, and this is extremely common in real conversations.

Have you finished yet?
No, I haven’t finished yet — I’m still working.

Using both words together helps clarify what continues and what has not happened.

Is yet only used in negative sentences and questions?

In everyday English, yes.

Most of the time, yet appears in:

• negative sentences, and
• questions.

I haven’t called her yet.
Have you seen the message yet?

This is the most natural and safest use for learners.

Can still be used in negative sentences? What does it mean?

Yes, it can — and this is a very important point.

However, when you use still in a negative sentence, the meaning changes slightly.

For example, instead of saying:

He hasn’t done the work yet.

you can say:

He still hasn’t done the work.

When you choose still, you are expressing surprise, frustration, or annoyance. In spoken English, still is often stressed.

Can still be used in questions?

Yes. Still is very common in questions.

Do you still live near here?
Are you still working there?

These questions are usually neutral. However, depending on the situation and tone, still can also express impatience or surprise.

Are you still in the shower?

What is the difference between still and already?

They express opposite ideas.

• Still means something continues.
• Already means something happened earlier than expected.

She’s still asleep.
She’s already awake.

Can yet be used in affirmative sentences?

In everyday conversation, yet is rarely used in affirmative sentences.

However, in more formal or written English, yet can mean “even so” or “despite that”.

He is young, yet very experienced.

This use is more common in writing than in speech.

Why do learners confuse still and yet?

Because both words refer to time, but English uses them based on expectation, not just grammar.

Native speakers choose:

• still when they focus on continuation,
• yet when they focus on something that has not happened.

This distinction becomes natural with practice and exposure.

How can I learn to use still and yet naturally?

The best way is to:

• notice them in real conversations,
• pay attention to context and intention,
• and practise using them in your own sentences.

Rules help, but real usage builds confidence.

Sources: Cambridge Dictionary, British Council LearnEnglish, Vedantu — Difference between Still and Yet