I've Already Done It!
Present Perfect with already, yet, and just. Leo prepares Café Colibri for opening night and reports what he's already done, what he's just finished, and what isn't ready yet.
📖 Reading: Getting Ready for the Opening
It is Friday evening. Tomorrow is the opening of Café Colibri. Leo is preparing everything.
Maya calls him. "Leo, have you ordered the coffee beans yet?"
"Yes, I've already ordered them. They arrived this morning."
"Have you printed the menus yet?"
"Yes! I've just finished printing them. They look great."
"What about the decorations? Have you put them up yet?"
"I've already done the main ones, but I haven't finished the window display yet."
"Have you called all the guests?"
"Most of them. I've just texted Jess — she's already on the train from New York!"
"This is so exciting," says Maya. "Have you slept at all?"
"Not yet," admits Leo. "I'm too excited. But I've already made tomorrow's coffee menu, practised my espresso technique, and written a little speech."
"A speech! Leo, you've thought of everything!"
"Not everything," he laughs. "I haven't made a birthday cake for the café yet. Can you bring one tomorrow?"
"Already on it!" says Maya.
🔑 Vocabulary Box
Eight key words from this lesson.
| Word | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| beans | Seeds used to make coffee | n. — The coffee beans arrived this morning. |
| decoration | Objects used to make a place look attractive | n. — He's put up the decorations. |
| display | An arrangement of things designed to be seen | n. — He hasn't finished the window display. |
| espresso | A strong type of coffee made by forcing hot water through ground coffee | n. — He practised his espresso technique. |
| technique | A specific way of doing something skillfully | n. — He practised his espresso technique. |
| admit | To say that something is true, especially reluctantly | v. — He admits he hasn't slept yet. |
| speech | A formal talk given to an audience | n. — He has written a little speech. |
| on it | Already working on or dealing with something | phrase — Already on it! |
📚 Key Verbs in This Lesson | |
to order → ordered | Have you ordered the coffee beans yet? / I've already ordered them. |
to print → printed | I've just finished printing the menus. |
to put up | Have you put up the decorations yet? |
to finish → finished | I haven't finished the window display yet. |
📚 Grammar Focus
📚 Already, Yet and Just | |
ALREADY (+) | I've already ordered the beans. (sooner than expected) |
Position of already | Between have and past participle: I've already done it. |
YET (?, -) | Have you printed the menus yet? (question about completion) |
YET (-) | I haven't finished yet. (expected but not done) |
Position of yet | At the end of question or negative sentence. |
JUST (+) | I've just finished printing. (a moment ago / very recently) |
Practice Patterns
📚 Practice Patterns | |
Have you + PP + yet? | Have you ordered the beans yet? |
Yes, I've already + PP | Yes, I've already ordered them. |
No, I haven't + PP + yet | No, I haven't ordered them yet. |
I've just + PP | I've just texted Jess. |
🎭 Dialogue: Is Everything Ready?
Maya checks in with Leo on the night before Café Colibri's opening: what's done, what's just finished, and what is still pending.
Leo! Have you finished preparing for tomorrow yet?
Almost! I've already ordered the beans and printed the menus.
What about the decorations? Have you put them up yet?
I've done most of them. I've just finished the main area.
Has Jess confirmed she's coming yet?
Yes! I've just heard from her — she's already on the train!
Excellent! Have you written your speech yet?
Yes, I've already written it. Want to hear it?
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
Have the coffee beans arrived? How do we know?
What has Leo just finished doing?
What hasn't Leo finished yet?
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
Have you called the guests ___? (use the adverb that asks about expected completion)
I've ___ ordered the coffee — it arrived this morning. (sooner than expected)
She's ___ arrived — she walked in two minutes ago! (very recently)
🎭 Now It's Your Turn — Role Play
Practice with a partner. Use the dialogue as a model.
- Student A: You are organising a party. Your partner is helping. Ask: Have you … yet?
- Student B: Answer using already, not yet, or just. Give details.
- Tasks to discuss: send invitations / buy food / decorate the room / make a playlist / clean the house / bake a cake.
- Then swap roles.