Already is an adverb meaning before the present or a specified time; by now or by then. It often signals that something happened sooner than expected: She had already completed the exercise before class started.
What Does Already Mean?
Already comes from Middle English al redy, literally meaning "fully ready" or "completely prepared". Over time the two words merged and the meaning shifted to its modern sense: something has happened by a particular point in time, often earlier than the speaker expected. The Old English root eall (all, completely) combined with rǣde (ready, prepared) to form the original phrase.
In modern British English, already performs two closely related jobs. First, it places an action before a reference point in time — either "before now" in the present perfect, or "before that moment" in a narrative past. Second, it carries an emotional shade of surprise or mild impatience: the speaker did not expect the action to have happened so soon.
Understanding already means understanding its three closest companions: yet (for negatives and neutral questions about completion), still (for situations that continue), and just (for actions completed a moment ago). These four adverbs form a core cluster of time-related vocabulary that every intermediate English learner needs to master.
Etymology Note
Middle English al redy (c. 14th century) — from Old English eall (all, entirely) + rǣde (prepared, ready). The compound first meant "fully prepared"; by the 15th century it had developed the temporal sense "by this time, before now" that it carries today. Related forms survive in other Germanic languages: German bereits (already) and Dutch al show the same semantic journey from "readiness" to "prior occurrence". See Cambridge Dictionary's full entry on “already” for more examples.
Example Sentences by Level
| Level | Sentence | Usage note |
|---|---|---|
| A2 | I have already eaten, thank you. | present perfect + already; polite refusal |
| B1 | She had already completed the exercise before class started. | past perfect + already; action prior to a past moment |
| B1 | Have you already booked the tickets? The concert is weeks away! | question with already; surprise that action is done so early |
| B2 | By the time the rescue team arrived, the fire had already spread to the upper floors. | narrative past perfect; sequencing events in a story |
| C1 | As already noted in the introduction, the data suggest a statistically significant correlation. | formal academic use; back-reference to earlier text |
Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| already know | Most students already know the basic rules of grammar. |
| already done / finished | Is the report already done? That was quick. |
| already left | By the time I arrived, she had already left. |
| already been | I've already been to Paris twice this year. |
| already seen | I can't watch that film again — I've already seen it. |
| already paid | Don't worry about the bill; I've already paid. |
| already mentioned / noted | As already mentioned, the deadline is Friday. |
| already aware | The management team is already aware of the issue. |
| already established | The company has already established a strong market position. |
| already decided | It seems the committee has already decided the outcome. |
Usage Notes
Position in a Sentence
- Mid-position (most common in British English): between the auxiliary and the main verb — I have already sent the email.
- End position (emphatic or informal): after the main verb or at the very end — I sent the email already! — more common in American English and informal speech.
- Front position (formal / academic writing): at the start of a clause for contrast — Already in 2023, researchers had identified the trend.
British vs American English
In British English the present perfect is strongly preferred with already: I have already finished. In American English the simple past is widely accepted: I already finished. For IELTS, Cambridge, or other British-standard examinations, use the present perfect.
Already vs Just
Just emphasises immediacy — the action happened moments ago. Already emphasises prior completion relative to a reference point, without specifying how long ago. Compare: She has just left (moments ago) vs She has already left (before we arrived, time unspecified).
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
Did you already finish the report? (neutral question — use yet)
Have you finished the report yet? (neutral question about completion)
Have you already finished the report? (implies surprise it could be done so soon)
I already told you this yesterday. (simple past is fine here, but awkward in British formal English)
I have already told you this. (present perfect — the standard British form)
She hasn't already gone. (already is not used in negative sentences)
She hasn't gone yet. (use yet in negative sentences)
Related Words
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Frequently Asked Questions about “already”
What does already mean in English?
Already is an adverb that means before the present time, before a specified moment, or sooner than expected. For example: 'She has already finished her homework' means she finished it before now. It often carries a sense of surprise that something happened so early.
What is the difference between already and yet?
Already is used in positive statements and questions to say that something happened sooner than expected: 'He has already arrived.' Yet is used in negative sentences and questions to talk about something expected but not done: 'She hasn't arrived yet' or 'Has she arrived yet?' Already appears mid-sentence or at the end; yet almost always appears at the end.
Where do you put already in a sentence?
Already typically goes between the auxiliary verb and the main verb: 'I have already eaten.' In short sentences without an auxiliary, it follows the verb: 'She already knows.' It can also go at the end of a sentence for emphasis: 'I told you already!' American English tends to place it at the end more often than British English.
Can already be used in questions?
Yes. Already in a question expresses surprise that something may have happened sooner than expected: 'Have you already finished?' or 'Is it already midnight?' This is different from yet, which is the neutral choice in questions about completion: 'Have you finished yet?'
What is the difference between already and still?
Already means something happened before now or sooner than expected. Still means a situation continues and has not changed. Compare: 'She has already left' (she left before now) versus 'She is still here' (she has not left yet). Still often implies surprise that a situation has continued so long.
Is already used with simple past or present perfect?
In British English, already is most commonly used with the present perfect: 'I have already seen that film.' In American English, the simple past is also widely accepted: 'I already saw that film.' In formal writing and exams such as IELTS or Cambridge, the British pattern (present perfect + already) is preferred.
What is the etymology of already?
Already originated in Middle English as two words: 'al redy', meaning 'fully ready' or 'completely prepared'. Over time the phrase merged into a single adverb and shifted to its modern meaning of 'by this time' or 'before now'. The Old English root 'eall' (all, completely) combined with 'rǣde' (ready, prepared).
What are common collocations with already?
Common collocations include: already know, already done, already finished, already left, already been, already have, already seen, already said, and already paid. The phrase 'as already mentioned' is very common in formal writing. 'Already aware' and 'already established' appear frequently in academic English.
What is the difference between already and beforehand?
Already refers to something that happened before the present moment or earlier than expected: 'I have already prepared the report.' Beforehand means in advance of a particular event or arrangement: 'Please let me know beforehand if you cannot attend.' Beforehand implies deliberate planning; already simply describes the timing of an action.
How can I practise using already in English?
Try LexFizz's Complete the Sentence exercise to practise already, yet, and still in context. The Flash Cards tool will help you remember the word's meaning and collocations. Writing short diary entries in the present perfect — describing what you have already done today — is an excellent way to build confidence with this adverb.