Already vs Yet
Is there any difference in meaning between already and yet in perfect tenses besides of sentence structure. For example

1.Have you started your new job yet? vs Have you already started your new job?
2.have you paid your electricity bill yet? vs have you already paid your electricity bill?
3.Has he sold his car yet? vs Has he already sold his car?

Question

Already vs Yet
Is there any difference in meaning between already and yet in perfect tenses besides of sentence structure. For example

1.Have you started your new job yet? vs Have you already started your new job?
2.have you paid your electricity bill yet? vs have you already paid your electricity bill?
3.Has he sold his car yet? vs Has he already sold his car?

Answer

A big difference? Maybe not.
But, there is always a "but" for the smaller things.

"yet" refers to the time spent till now, the time past during which he could have sold it.
"already" refers in a sense to the time remaining, more opportunities to sell it.

Has he sold his car yet?  - Sometimes used when there was an expectation that he should have done it by now. - 
Has he already sold his car? - I'd go for the one below, just by preference.
Has he sold his car, already? - Sometimes used as surprise at having been so quick.
.
So, to me, both are neutral, but using mostly tone, "yet" is sometimes used with being slow and "already" with quick.

Answer

Perfectly ok to use bith words interchangeably. 😃

Answer

The only difference between using already vs yet is that already has an element of surprise. It is usually used to express surprise that sth has happened sooner than sb had expected.

Answers · 3

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