Nov - Dec 2013

A. Still, Yet and Already

Still  

We use still to say that a situation or action is continuing. It hasn't changed or stopped

• It's 10 o'clock and Abdullah is still in bed.
• When I went to bed, Mohammed was still working.
• Do you still want to go to the party or have you changed your mind?

***Still usually goes in the middle of the sentence with the verb.

Yet 

Yet =' until now'. We use yet mainly in negative sentences ( I haven't finished yet) and questions (Have you finished yet?). yet shows that the speaker is expecting the action to happen.

***Yet usually goes at the end of sentence:

·         It's 10 o'clock and Abdullah hasn't got up yet.

·         I'm hungry. Is dinner ready yet?

·         We don't know where we are going for our holidays yet.

We often use yet with present perfect ( Have you finished yet?).

Compare yet and still:

·     Abdullah lost his job a year ago and is still unemployed.

Abdullah lost his job a year ago and hasn't found another job yet.

·     Is it still raining?

Has it stopped raining yet?

Still is also possible in negative sentences(before the negative):

·    She said she would be here an hour ago and she still hasn't come.

This is similar to 'she hasn't come yet'. But still.. not shows a stronger feeling of surprise or impatience. Compare:

·    I wrote to him last week. He hasn't replied yet. (but I expect he will reply soon).

·    I wrote to him months ago and he still hasn't replied. (he should have replied before now)

Already  

We use already to say that something happened sooner than expected. 

***Already usually goes in the middle of a sentence:

• 'When is Sara going on holiday?'    ' She has already gone.' (= sooner than you expected)
• Should I tell Fatima the news or does she already know?

Here is a good recap of the uses of these adverbs:
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammarchallenge/pdfs/gc_31_still_yet_already_explanation.pdf

Here is a short multiple choice test to test your knowledge:

1: I haven't _____ done my homework

 still yet again

2: Although he treated her badly, she ______ loves him.

 still yet again

3: I only arrived here last week, and I haven't _____ met all the people.

 still yet always

4: He told me once, then he told me the same thing ______ .

 still already again

5: I've been trying this for hours, and I _____ can't get the right answers.

 still yet again

6: Have you ______ not found out how to do it?

 still yet already

B. Tell me something about yourself...

1. List 3 beautiful/exotic places (countries, cities, regions, etc) that you want to visit but that you haven't yet (hint: use yet)
2. List 3 memorable activities that you have done in the past (hint: use already)
3. List 3 things that you plan to do but that you may not have started or you may have started but not finished (hint: use still)

C. Additional Exercises

Go over the following exercises and note the answers for all of the questions. We'll go over the questions in class

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammarchallenge/pdfs/gc_31_still_yet_already_quizzes.pdf

D. Have you ever....? 

Watch the following clip and we'll discuss in class using the present perfect:

1. Can you name all of the things that the main character learned to do? 
2. Have you already done any of them? All of them? Not yet? Would you like to?

Have you ever gone there?




Have you ever prepared/eaten/seen?

D. Listening

Listen to the following short audio clip and we'll discuss in class:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/11/13/244860511/whats-mine-is-yours-for-a-price-in-the-sharing-economy

E. Wisdom

Is havin wisom important? Do you see yourself as a wise person? Did you have a wise person as a tutor in your life?  

Confucius once said that there were three ways to learn wisdom: "First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest." Gaining wisdom, the most prized of virtues across almost all cultures, is an exercise in life learning, careful analysis, and thoughtful action.

1. What is wisdom?

2. What does being wise mean?

3. Can you name any well-known people who you think are wise?

Watch the following video and listen attentively what people say about wisdom

Trascript of the video: http://fr.scribd.com/doc/98393611/wisdom-trailer-transcript