What does the word ‘still’ and ‘yet’ mean? Are they any different from each other or do they mean the same thing? Students often get confused with these types of questions, and since they can’t find a proper difference between such words, they end up using them interchangeably and incorrectly in most cases. So it’s essential that students know the meaning of such easily confused words before they use them in sentences.
Apart from these words, there are many words present in the English Language that might seem to be the same but have different meanings. The words are confusing as students can’t put a finger in the difference between such words. This article will deal with all the points that will help the students understand how or when to use the words ‘still’ and ‘yet’. Once they know the meanings of these words, it becomes easier for them to use these in daily life conversations. Students can go through the following points discussed below for in-depth understanding of the concepts.
- Table Summarising the Difference between Still and Yet
- The Difference between Still and Yet – Meanings
- Examples of Still and Yet
- Still and Yet – Conclusion
Table Summarising the Difference between Still and Yet
| Still | Yet | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The word still refers to an event/action that has begun in the past time and is continuing in the present time. | The word yet refers to an event/action that hasn’t yet happened but is presumed to happen. |
| Usage | It is used as a Noun, Adverb, Adjective and Verb | It is used as an Adverb and as a Conjunction. |
| Example | Sam still lives in New York. | My mother has not yet arrived from the store. |
This table shows that ‘still’ and ‘yet’ can’t be treated as synonymous and cannot be used interchangeably. Hope, students have got a slight idea about what these words represent.
The Difference between Still and Yet – Meanings
The above table clearly shows that the words ‘still’ and ‘yet’ have entirely different meanings, but if you are asked to identify how the word ‘still’ is used in a sentence, how would you do so? The word ‘still’, when used as a noun, means quiet or calm, for example, ‘In the still woods, I could hear my breathing.’ Again the word ‘still’ can be used as an adjective which means no movement, for example, ‘The man lay still as the bear approached.’ Another example is ‘My brother still eats with my mother.’ The ‘still’ here is used as an adverb which refers to a an event/action that had begun in the past time and is continuing in the present time. Lastly, ‘still’ can be used as a verb which means to subdue or calm, for example, ‘The principal’s scolding stilled the students’, whereas the word ‘yet’ can be used as a conjunction and an adverb and generally refers to an event/action that hasn’t happened as of now but is presumed to happen, for example ‘Rita is quite young yet she managed to lead such a big team.’ Here, ‘yet’ is used as a conjunction, whereas in the sentence ‘The prisoner’s crime hasn’t been proved yet’, ‘yet’ is used as an adverb.
Examples of Still and Yet
The following examples will help students understand ‘still’ and ‘yet’ as an Adverb:
Yet – The guest is yet to come to the inauguration ceremony.
Still – The teacher was still teaching even though the bell rang.
Once students understand the difference between the words ‘still’ and ‘yet’, they can easily apply them in proper contexts.
Still and Yet – Conclusion
In conclusion, the words ‘still’ and ‘yet’ are not synonymous and can’t be used interchangeably. This article points out the difference between ‘still’ and ‘yet’ to make it easy for students to use them in sentences. BYJU’S offers various articles on many such ‘Difference Between’ two words’ that students often get confused with.
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