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'not ... already' versus 'not yet'



 
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ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
Tense agreement? | Rephrase "Somethings are best left unsaid"
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'not ... already' versus 'not yet' #1 (permalink) Wed Aug 09, 2006 20:47 pm   'not ... already' versus 'not yet'
 

Hi

1. You're not leaving us already, are you?
2. You’re not yet leaving us, are you?

Correct?
The same meaning or not?

(Sorry, I can’t formulate a question, as yet :). Something relating to use of already in negative sentences vs using not yet.
Sometimes I certainly can’t find any difference. But, as I suspect, it should be :) )

Tamara
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'not ... already' versus 'not yet' #2 (permalink) Wed Aug 09, 2006 21:05 pm   'not ... already' versus 'not yet'
 

Hi Tamara :D

In your first sentence, it sounds like the speaker is talking to someone who already has his coat on and is headed for the door! :lol:
In other words, something is already happening and the speaker is probably surprised that it's happening so soon.

In your second sentence, the speaker probably just wants a confirmation that someone is not planning to leave yet. This sentence is more connected to the future. Nothing has happened yet.

The meanings aren't the same to me. Take a look at this link:
http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/grammar/archive/alreadyyet.html

Amy
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'not ... already' versus 'not yet' #3 (permalink) Fri Aug 11, 2006 11:14 am   'not ... already' versus 'not yet'
 

Hi Amy

Thanks a lot for the link and your explanation.

As I can see, the link is for 'British English' and, as you didn't mention any difference in use (in compare with using 'not yet' and 'not... already' - in AmE), so I can bravely conclude that there is no difference for this case. Fortunately :)
OK.

Tamara
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