Still VS Yet

Many think that still and yet often mean the same thing, but this is not the case. Still
talks about something which began in the past and it persists even now, as it is not
completed or finished yet. On the other hand, yet refers to something which a person
is longing for or expecting to start, complete or happen by a certain time, but it does
not happen, started or completed until now.

If you’re still having confusion regarding these two, or your confusion is not cleared
yet, let’s take a look at the examples below:

- Mary lost her job last month, she is still looking for a job, as she has not
found any good job yet.

- Peter has not arrived yet; it means he is still working in the office.

In these two examples, you might have noticed that still is used to denote a
continuous action. As against, yet indicates something which must be happened by
the time, but it does not take place.

BASIS FOR
STILL YET
COMPARISON

Yet denotes an action

Still refers to an action
which is presumed to
Meaning began in the past and is
happen, but does not
continuing in the present.
happen until now.

Position Middle of the sentence End of the sentence

Used in Affirmative and Negative and

Usage
Interrogative Sentences Interrogative Sentences
 - The construction of the
- The road construction is
road is not completed
still under process.
yet.
- Riya is still wondering,
Examples Riya has not chosen any
which subject to choose.
subject yet.
- The order is still in
- The order is not
transit.
delivered yet.
Still VS Yet Chart

Definition of Still

The word still defines an action or a situation which started in the past and is still
going on, i.e. neither the situation nor action is changed or stopped. However, there
are a number of uses of still, which are discussed here:

1. As an adverb

It means something that continues:

The car is still standing in the parking area.

She is still controlling her anger.

He is still stuck in the traffic jam, I don’t think he will reach here on time.

In spite of that:

Even though Kate was in a hurry, she still waited for his brother to arrive.

I know she did wrong to you, but you still have no right to insult her like this.

2. As an adjective:

To stay in a particular position, i.e. motionless:

The baby stood still when I was scolding him for mischief.

The water of the lake was still, which is a relaxing scene.

3. As a verb

To stop the movement of someone or something:

The man tried to still the car but wasn’t able to do it.

4. As a noun

It means deep silence:

The still of the darkness is heavy.

Definition of Yet

The word yet is used to denote an action which is expected to happen, start or finish
by the stated time, but did not take place, till that time. Let’s take a look at these
points to understand the uses of yet:

1. As an adverb:

It indicates until this time:

It’s 11 o’ clock, and the pizza is not delivered yet.

Have you noticed the change in the company policy yet?

I have sent the CV last week, but haven’t got any response yet.

The result has not been declared yet.

To emphasize words like one more and again, which represents a rise in the
frequency of an action:

Our team lost the match, yet another time.

The boss has assigned me yet more tasks to complete by today.

2. As conjunction:

It means however at the same time or notwithstanding:

The road was full of potholes, yet I somehow managed to drive.

She is beautiful yet intelligent.

Key Differences Between Still and Yet

The difference between still and yet are discussed in the points given below:

We use the word still to refer to an action or a condition which began previously and
is continuing until now. On the other hand, yet can be used to represent an action
which is supposed to be started, or occurred until now, but it fails to occur or start
by the given time frame.

Still is used in affirmative and interrogative sentences.

Yet is used in negative and interrogative sentences.

Examples:

Still

Jack is still in the office.

It is still raining.

If you still want to join us, you can.

Yet

She has not completed the homework yet.

They have not arrived yet.

I have not met the new employees yet.

N.B.: How to remember the difference

The basic confusion arises between them when they are used as an adverb. So, the
best tip to remember their difference lies in their meanings, i.e. still means something
which is continuing and yet means until now. Further, still is mainly used with
present continuous tense, whereas yet is used with present perfect tense.