1. Three views of the situation now
Imagine preparing a room for a meeting. One result has appeared very recently, another task is already done, and a third result is still missing. The present perfect connects these events with the current situation; the adverb identifies which aspect you emphasise.
Just, already and yet are not interchangeable. First decide what you mean: recency, an existing result, or a question about an expected result. The adverb does not replace auxiliary have/has.
We have just opened the windows.
We have just opened the windows.
The speaker emphasises that this happened very recently.
We have already put out the chairs.
We have already put out the chairs.
This preparation task is complete by the time of speaking; exactly how recently is not stated.
We haven't tested the microphone yet.
We haven't tested the microphone yet.
The test has not happened by now; it remains a relevant preparation task.
2. Just: very recently, rather than simply in the past
In the target time meaning, just means “a very short time ago”. Usually put it between have/has and the past participle. How much time has passed depends on the situation: it does not specify a fixed number of seconds or minutes.
Just also has other meanings, including “only”. Do not infer its meaning from the word alone. In I’ve just checked the price, it can express recency or limit the action; context clarifies this. Here the main target is reporting a recent event.
Subject + have/has + just + past participle.
- subject / S —
- The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
- V3 / past participle —
- The third verb form: worked, gone, seen. Used after have/has or in the passive, for example; it is not always the same as V2.
The kettle has just boiled.
The kettle has just boiled.
The news matters now: the water has just boiled, so tea can be made.
Have you just spoken to the driver?
Have you just spoken to the driver?
Just can appear in a question too: have precedes the subject and just precedes spoken.
I've bought just one notebook, not three.
I've bought just one notebook, not three.
Here just limits the quantity to one, rather than saying when the purchase happened.
3. Already: by this point
Already says something has happened by now or by another relevant point. It often suggests “earlier than expected”, but surprise is not required: it can calmly report that a task is done and need not be repeated.
The usual position is after have/has and before the past participle. Sentence-final position is also correct, especially in conversation or for emphasis. Do not place already between a transitive verb and its direct object: have already washed the cups or have washed the cups already.
Subject + have/has + already + past participle (+ object) / subject + have/has + past participle (+ object) + already.
- subject / S —
- The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
- V3 / past participle —
- The third verb form: worked, gone, seen. Used after have/has or in the passive, for example; it is not always the same as V2.
- object / O —
- Who or what an action affects: in I read a book, a book is the object.
I've already printed the tickets, so you don't need to print them.
I've already printed the tickets, so you don't need to print them.
A calm report of a completed task, not necessarily unexpectedly early completion.
You've packed everything already!
You've packed everything already!
Final already is correct; this exclamation emphasises a quick result.
Has the shop already closed?
Has the shop already closed?
The speaker checks whether the event has happened; the context may add surprise.
4. Yet: has it happened? / it has not happened so far
In ordinary questions about expected events, yet means “by this point”. Have they arrived yet? asks whether they have arrived by now. Negative not … yet reports that the event has not happened. Keep not: the negation distinguishes a missing result from an affirmative statement.
The simplest everyday position for yet is at the end of a question or negative sentence. Hasn’t yet finished is also possible: slightly more formal, but correct. Not yet often leaves an event expected, but does not itself promise or guarantee it, or give an exact completion date.
Have/Has + subject + past participle + yet? / subject + haven’t/hasn’t + past participle + yet.
- subject / S —
- The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
- V3 / past participle —
- The third verb form: worked, gone, seen. Used after have/has or in the passive, for example; it is not always the same as V2.
Have the guests arrived yet?
Have the guests arrived yet?
The guests are expected; the speaker checks the current situation rather than the time of an arrival yesterday.
The guests haven't arrived yet.
The guests haven't arrived yet.
No arrival has occurred so far. The sentence does not guarantee when, or whether, they will arrive.
The team has not yet chosen a date.
The team has not yet chosen a date.
Yet between not and chosen is valid and common in more formal updates.
5. Forms, questions and contractions
Use have with I/you/we/they and has with he/she/it. After the adverb, use the past participle: write → written, eat → eaten, see → seen; regular verbs take -ed. The adverb does not allow you to omit the auxiliary or replace the past participle with the ordinary past tense.
In questions, have/has precedes the subject: Has she …? Add not for negation: have not / haven’t, has not / hasn’t. I’ve means I have; she’s before a past participle can mean she has. Both full and contracted forms are natural; choose for the situation.
She's just written the address down.
She's just written the address down.
She’s means she has here; has just is followed by written rather than wrote.
Has he paid yet? He hasn't paid yet.
Has he paid yet? He hasn't paid yet.
In the question, has precedes he; in the reply, he precedes hasn’t. Paid is the past participle of pay.
6. Limits of the rule: do not reject valid English
Both just and already can fit a completed action without more context. I’ve just sent it emphasises recency; I’ve already sent it emphasises that sending has happened by now. Choosing just one requires a specific intention rather than an unexplained gap.
Already is less common in negatives, but possible, for example when checking whether something is done. Yet appears mainly in this lesson’s questions and negatives, but is not limited to those uses in English: have yet to do means something remains to be done, and best yet means “best so far”. These mark the rule’s boundaries, rather than extra patterns for active A2 practice.
American English commonly uses I just called and Did you eat yet? These are not grammatical errors. This training often explicitly requests the present perfect to practise its form. Another natural tense can then fail the task requirement while remaining valid English.
If you haven't already paid, you can pay at the desk.
If you haven't already paid, you can pay at the desk.
Negative haven’t already paid is grammatical: it checks whether payment has been made earlier.
We have yet to choose a name.
We have yet to choose a name.
To choose follows yet, rather than a past participle. This is a separate construction, not an assertion that the choice is complete.
This is our best photo yet.
This is our best photo yet.
Yet after a superlative means “so far” and does not require negation.
7. A short, useful contribution
Use the construction to do something in a conversation: report news, prevent duplicated work, check readiness or honestly say what is missing. A short sentence is enough; the next can explain its practical consequence.
Check meaning and form separately. What is already done? What happened very recently? What has not happened yet? Who performed the action? Then check have/has, the past participle and adverb position. Do not add promises or new facts absent from the situation.
Have you checked the room number yet? — No, I haven't checked it yet.
Have you checked the room number yet? — No, I haven't checked it yet.
The question and reply concern the same check; the negation is preserved.
I've just found the key. We can go in now.
I've just found the key. We can go in now.
Just reports a new result, while the second sentence explains its usefulness now.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:She have just arrived.
Correct:She has just arrived.
Subject she requires has. Just does not change auxiliary agreement.
Incorrect:They have already ate dinner.
Correct:They have already eaten dinner.
After have already, use past participle eaten rather than past tense ate.
Incorrect:Has you finished yet?
Correct:Have you finished yet?
A question with you requires have before the subject.
Incorrect:I have sent already the photo.
Correct:I have already sent the photo.
Do not separate sent from direct object the photo with already. I have sent the photo already is also correct.
Sources
- British Council — Present perfect: just, yet, still and already
- Cambridge English Grammar Today — Already, still or yet?
- Cambridge English Grammar Today — Yet
- Cambridge English Grammar Today — Just
- Cambridge Dictionary — Still, already and yet: Which do I use where?
- Cambridge English — The Present Perfect in British and American English