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A235–45 minutes on your own60 minutes with a tutor

Present Perfect Basics 2: Just, Already and Yet

By the end: I can give updates and ask whether a task is finished.

Created by Denis M., British English teacher.

I’m studying:

Try the activities, then check your answers.

Start here

You and a friend are preparing for a class. Check what is ready.

Read each explanation, say your answer aloud, then open the model and try again. You may write your answer if you prefer. Use invented personal details whenever you like.

Useful preparation: Lesson 20: have/has + participle. Support finish→finished, send→sent, do→done, eat→eaten.

Playback speed

Choose a play button when you are ready.

Learn 1

Just: a short time ago

Use have/has + just + participle for a recent action: I’ve just sent the message. Just sits between have or has and the participle. The action happened a short time before now.

I’ve just sent the message.

She’s just finished her work.

Finishing and sending are different tasks

Task 1: completedI’ve just finished the exercise.

Just says completion was a short time ago.

Task 2: not completed up to nowI haven’t sent it yet.

The exercise is finished, but sending is still outstanding.

Learn 2

Lesson scene for I've just sent the message. People and essential props on white. — I’ve just sent the message.Just places the completed action a short time before now.

Already: it is done

Already tells us something is done before now, often earlier than expected. In the pattern here, put it before the participle: I’ve already eaten. It can also come at the end in some sentences; practise the middle position first.

I’ve already eaten.

We’ve already done the exercise.

Read the two stages of the food preparation

Buying: doneI’ve already bought the food.

Buying is completed before now.

Cooking: not done up to nowI haven’t cooked it yet.

The cooking stage remains incomplete.

Buying and cooking are separate stages; the recording says cooking has not happened yet.

Learn 3

Yet: up to now

Use yet in ordinary questions and negatives when something is expected: Have you finished yet? I haven’t finished yet. Put yet at the end in these examples. Short answers use have or has: No, I haven’t.

Have you finished yet?

I haven’t sent the message yet.

Put yet after the action in these patterns

Completion question

Haveyoufinishedyet?

Negative update

Ihaven’tfinishedyet.

Guided practice

Try each answer first. Check it, or open a model and its explanation.

Try the form

1. Complete: I’ve ___ sent it. It happened a moment ago.

Compare an answer and explanation

just

Just means a short time ago.

2. Complete: I’ve ___ eaten. Put already in the gap.

Compare an answer and explanation

already

Already goes before eaten in this pattern.

3. Complete: Have you finished ___?

Compare an answer and explanation

yet

Put yet at the end of the question.

4. Complete: I ___ done it yet. Use a negative short form.

Compare an answer and explanation

haven’t

Use haven’t with I.

Build or change a sentence

5. Put just in the middle: She has finished.

Compare an answer and explanation

She has just finished. / She’s just finished.

Put just between has and finished.

6. Put already in the middle: We have sent it.

Compare an answer and explanation

We have already sent it. / We’ve already sent it.

Put already before sent.

7. Make negative and add yet: I have finished.

Compare an answer and explanation

I haven’t finished yet. / I have not finished yet.

Use haven’t and final yet.

8. Correct the present perfect: I’ve just send it.

Compare an answer and explanation

I’ve just sent it. / I have just sent it.

Send has the participle sent.

Listen to a short conversation

Listen. Then open the words and read aloud. Try one part with a partner, or say both parts on your own.

Open the conversation transcript

A: Have you finished the exercise yet?

B: Yes, I’ve just finished it.

A: Have you sent it to the teacher?

B: No, I haven’t sent it yet.

Listening checks

Read the question, play its recording, then choose an answer. You can open the transcript whenever you need it.

Listening 1

Read the transcript

I’ve already bought the food, but I haven’t cooked it yet.

Listening 2

Read the transcript

Have you sent the email yet? Yes, I’ve just sent it.

Listening 3

Read the transcript

Mia has already done the exercise. Ben hasn’t started it yet.

Lesson scene for I haven't sent the message yet. People and essential props on white. — I haven’t sent the message yet.Not yet means the sending remains incomplete up to now.

Make it yours

Speak first, compare a model, then say a new version. These tasks are ungraded.

Speaking task 1

Give three updates about an invented study session: something just finished, something already done, and something not done yet.

Compare a possible response

I’ve just read the page. I’ve already done the quiz. I haven’t sent my work yet.

Success check: Use all three words in the target positions.

This is one possible response. Try again with your own details.

Speaking task 2

Preparation checklist: food bought; room cleaned a moment ago; invitations not sent. Report the three updates.

Compare a possible response

We’ve already bought the food. We’ve just cleaned the room. We haven’t sent the invitations yet.

Success check: Match each update to the checklist.

This is one possible response. Try again with your own details.

Speaking task 3

Ask a partner about three tasks. On your own, invent answers.

Compare a possible response

Have you finished yet? Yes, I have. Have you eaten yet? No, I haven’t. Have you sent the message yet? Yes, I’ve just sent it.

Success check: Ask with have + participle + yet.

This is one possible response. Try again with your own details.

Recap

Listen and repeat. I’ve just sent the message. I’ve already eaten. Have you finished yet?

I can give updates and ask whether a task is finished.

I can use the main pattern.
I can make one sentence of my own.
I know one thing to practise again.

Keep building your grammar