yet

USAGE SUMMARY

"yet" is a perfectly correct and usable word in written English.
You can use "yet" to indicate that something is expected to happen or exist even though it has not happened or existed. For example, "I have not seen the results yet, but I am confident they will be positive."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But not yet.

The New York Times

"It's not over yet.

The New York Times

Not yet, anyway.

The New York Times

"Not yet," he said.

The New York Times - Sports

And yet, and yet.

The New York Times - Health

But it hasn't happened yet.

The Economist

They just don't know it yet.

The New York Times

The Times reported that he said: "You have tanks and armour rolling across the Ukrainian border, and you have an Estonian border guard being captured and not yet still returned.

The Guardian

On average passengers are now paying £600 more for a season ticket and yet seeing no change in their pay packets".

The Guardian

All statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com, where you can find yet more stats, including live in-game data and unique player and team ratings.

The Guardian - Sport

But not just yet.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "yet" to smoothly introduce a contrasting idea or an element of surprise in your writing. For example, "The evidence was compelling, "yet" the jury remained undecided."

Common error

Avoid placing "yet" at the very beginning of a sentence when it's intended to connect two clauses. It's generally more effective after a comma or in the middle of the second clause. For example, instead of "Yet, the team lost", try "The team played well, "yet" they lost."

Linguistic Context

The primary function of "yet" is to serve as an adverb or conjunction. As an adverb, it indicates something has not happened or been completed up to a certain point. As a conjunction, "yet" introduces a contrasting clause, similar to "but", as seen in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

95%

Formal & Business

3%

Science

1%

Less common in

Academia

0.5%

Encyclopedias

0.3%

Wiki

0.2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "yet" is a versatile word primarily functioning as an adverb or conjunction. Ludwig AI confirms it is grammatically correct and widely used. Its main purpose is to introduce contrast or indicate something that has not happened up to a certain point. It's most frequently found in News & Media sources and maintains a neutral register, making it appropriate for various writing styles. When writing with "yet", it's crucial to position it correctly within the sentence for clarity and impact. While similar to "but", "yet" often carries a stronger sense of surprise or unexpectedness. Based on the examples provided by Ludwig, this word is quite common and effective in written English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

however

Indicates a contrast or concession, similar to "yet" when used as a conjunction.

still

Denotes continuation up to the present, akin to "yet" when used as an adverb.

nevertheless

Expresses a contrast despite something, paralleling "yet"'s conjunctive function.

but

A simple conjunction indicating contrast, similar to one of "yet"'s uses.

even so

Highlights a contrast, much like "yet" when connecting contrasting ideas.

nonetheless

Implies 'in spite of that', similar to "yet" in conveying concession.

as of yet

Specifies a time frame up to the present, mirroring one of "yet"'s adverbial senses.

up to now

Similar to "yet" in indicating a duration until the present moment.

hitherto

Refers to a time before the present, resembling one aspect of "yet"'s meaning.

in spite of

Indicates contrast or concession, similar to the conjunctive usage of "yet".

FAQs

How can I use "yet" to show contrast?

Use "yet" as a conjunction to connect two contrasting ideas. For example, "She studied hard, "yet" she didn't pass the exam.".

What's the difference between "yet" and "but"?

"Yet" and "but" are both conjunctions used to show contrast, but "yet" often implies a stronger sense of surprise or unexpectedness.

How to use "yet" to indicate something hasn't happened?

Use "yet" with a perfect tense to indicate something has not happened up to the present time. For example, "I haven't finished the book "yet"".

Can I use "yet" at the beginning of a sentence?

While grammatically correct, starting a sentence with "yet" can sometimes sound abrupt. It's generally smoother to place it within the sentence or after a clause.