Just or Already?

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Hi, could you please tell my the correct choice? and why??? I'm totally confused. 1.Would you like a cup of coffee?
No, thanks. I've(just/already) had one.
2 Would you like to come to see the new film with us?
Thanks for asking, but I've(just/already) seen it.
3 Can I borrow that book after you?
Here you are. I've (just/already) finished it.
4 Look at the noticeboard. There's an advert for English courses.
I know, I've(just/already) seen it.
5 If you see John, can you ask him about tonight?
He can come. I've(just/already) asked him

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In those sentences, just means "in the very recent past".

Do you want a cup of coffee? No, I have just had one.

Already means 'prior to a specified or implied past, present, or future time', and may implies that something that needs to happen only once has already happened, or that something has happened sooner than was (or may have been) expected.

Do you want breakfast? No, I have had breakfast already.
Do you need a train ticket? No, I have already bought one.
Five minutes ago I went out looking for dogs and I have seen three already.

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@Tes yeux noirs,

Cool.But can I say that the words between brackets denote that "already" is the correct choice,since the speaker has previous knowledge about the idea or when there's objection as in: 2.Thanks for asking, (but) I've already seen it.
4.(I know) I've already seen it.
5.(He can come.)I've already asked him.

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@Alex80,

Yes.

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@Alex80,

You use "just" in the present perfect form only.
Alex just called!

"Already" is used for something that happened sooner than expected.
The movie has already started

1 Reply

@CalamityJane,

Quote:

"Already" is used for something that happened sooner than expected.

No, already means :
already
adverb
1. before or by now or the time in question.
2. North American informal used after a word or phrase to express impatience.
"enough already with these crazy kids and their wacky dances!"

There is no sooner then expected . It simply happened before .

1 Reply

@Ionus,

Ionus wrote:

There is no sooner then expected . It simply happened before .

Quote:

We use already to show that something has happened sooner than it was expected to happen.

Source: British Council › English Grammar › Adverbials › adverbials of time

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/adverbials/adverbials-time/already-still-yet-and-no-longer

Quote:

We use already to show that something has happened sooner than it was expected to happen. Like still, it comes before the main verb:
The car is OK. I’ve already fixed it.
It was early but they were already sleeping.

There is no "happened sooner than expected" in already . That meaning is implied due to the context . Its meaning is simply that it has happened . Tonal use would be the main criteria . Written, you have to be a bit more careful . Its only meaning is before now, there is no surprise in its meaning .

1 Reply

@Ionus,

Ionus wrote:

There is no "happened sooner than expected" in already . [...] Its only meaning is before now, there is no surprise in its meaning

Quote:

Whereas still and yet normally refer to present and future circumstances, already normally refers to something that is in the present or recent past. It is mainly used in questions and affirmative sentences and usually expresses surprise that something has happened sooner than expected.

Source: BBC: Learning English

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

I quoted the same source as you Walt and I explained their mistake . It does NOT usually express surprise as it can be said by the person who already knows it . Your source is in error .

1 Reply

In this context:

just = very recently

already = unlimited, unspecified time in the past

"I just had my appendix removed." (It happened today or just before you woke up. The recentness of the event is very important.)

"I've already had my appendix removed." (Could have been 30 years ago. Who knows? Not relevant. The message is simply that you don't have an appendix any more.)

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@Ionus,

Ionus wrote:

I quoted the same source as you Walt and I explained their mistake . It does NOT usually express surprise as it can be said by the person who already knows it . Your source is in error .

What is written in both sources is part of the English grammar as tought here in Germany as well as part of the curriculum for the various Cambridge English certificates.

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

What I said was correct . It may have a surprise element in spoken english, but in written english there is no such aspect . If you have a source that says otherwise, it is wrong .

1 Reply

@Ionus,

Ionus wrote:

What I said was correct . It may have a surprise element in spoken english, but in written english there is no such aspect . If you have a source that says otherwise, it is wrong .

In that case, all German (at least) teachers for English got it wrong as well all as most (those, I could look at in the university English department's library here) English grammar books for German schools.

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

already
ɔːlˈrɛdi/
adverb
adverb: already

1. before or by now or the time in question.
"Anna has suffered a great deal already"
synonyms: by this/that time, by now/then, thus far, so far, hitherto, before, before now/then, previously, earlier, earlier on, until now/then, up to now/then; rare heretofore
"Anna had suffered a great deal already"
as early as this/that, as soon as this/that, so soon, so early, even now/then
"is it 3 o'clock already?"
as surprisingly soon or early as this.
"it was already past four o' clock"

2. North American informal used after a word or phrase to express impatience.
"enough already with these crazy kids and their wacky dances!"

Origin
Middle English: from all (as an adverb) + ready; sense 2 is influenced by Yiddish use.
Translate already to
Use over time for: already

0 Replies

@Alex80,

Hi Alex80,
1. Would you like a cup of coffee?
No, thanks. I've just had one.
2. Would you like to come to see the new film with us?
Thanks for asking, but I've already seen it.
3. Can I borrow that book after you?
Here you are. I've just finished it.
4. Look at the noticeboard. There's an advert for English courses.
I know, I've already seen it.
5. If you see John, can you ask him about tonight?
He can come. I've already asked him

0 Replies

Would you like a salt beef sandwich?

No thanks, I've just had one already.

0 Replies

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