Adverbs "yet", "still", and "even" used with comparisons

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VictorB
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#1

Сообщение VictorB »

The three adverbs:
a) share the common meaning "to a greater degree or extent;

b) when used in comparing two or more things, may be either preceded or followed by the article, e.g.
"a (an) yet/still/even bigger fool (than)..." and "yet/still/even a bigger fool (than)..."

The question I'm in search of the answer to is this:
Whether they all are interchangeable in any context.

To me, it would be easier to solve the problem I face by reading vivid examples of the usage.
As for the examples on the Google Books Ngram Viewer, try as I may, I cannot get the problem solved, if there is a problem.
https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?c ... er%3B%2Cc0
So, I'd be extremely grateful to those who could suggest a couple of example sentences where one of the adverbs is more preferable than the others, or where one (or two) is/are the only possible option(s). Brief explanations of "why this and not that one" are most welcome.
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#2

Сообщение VictorB »

VictorB пишет: 24 апр 2021, 20:35 Whether they all are interchangeable in any context.
The more I think about this question and the more example sentences I read, the clearer I see that there's no particular difference between "yet" and "even" when they're used in the context of comparison.

As for the "still", to use it, there seems to be needed the idea of a continual change of the compared things towards the degree of "the best/worst" or "the most/least".

Here's the passage I tried to place all the three adverbs in:
It was Friday and a good day for fishing.
Saturday was an even better day for that, and Sunday yet (still) better.
On Monday the weather started changing for the worse, and was getting worse and still worse day after day.
So when I was leaving the place, it had been pouring for three days on.
I wonder if I got it right.
Последний раз редактировалось Aksamitka 25 апр 2021, 16:50, всего редактировалось 1 раз.
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#3

Сообщение Easy-Breezy English »

VictorB, there are few differences, and some of them are quite subtle.

Generally, I'd say even is an unmarked conversational alternative, while still and yet tend to be used either for emphasis or in formal contexts. You can also use even while comparing A and B, and then use still/yet to introduce C:
Making a lot of money is good. Enjoying what you do is even better. Better still is when you make good money and enjoy what you do.

As for the difference between still and yet, you are right in suggesting that still carries the notion of continuity. Conversely, yet seems to have a hint of opposition.
• Please make sure to finish your homework by Wednesday. Better still, get to it right away. (Here’s what you should do, and here’s how you can do it even better.)
• I suppose I can wake you up at 7 tomorrow. Better yet, how about you wake up on your own for once? (Here’s what I can do, but it’ll be better if you do it yourself.)


Very often they are entirely interchangeable, though. It seems to be somewhat subjective, too, so the above is how I’d use it. Which doens't mean eveyrbody would.
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#4

Сообщение VictorB »

Easy-Breezy English,
Thanks a million for vivid examples.
I added them to those I already got at the lexico.com site:
yet (definition 2), still (definition 3) and even (definition 1.1)
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/yet
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/still
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/even
Since I couldn't find any written rule, reading of examples is all I have to do to fully grasp the nuance usage of those adverbs.
As always, your comment is timely and extremely useful.
Again, thank you ever so much:)
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#5

Сообщение Easy-Breezy English »

Aww, VictorB, ever so sweet and courteous. :-)
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#6

Сообщение Chaika »

VictorB пишет: 25 апр 2021, 12:11 Saturday was an even better day for that, and Sunday yet (still) better.
In this sentence both "yet" and "still" sound very odd to me and I would use "even" instead.
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#7

Сообщение VictorB »

Saturday was an even better day for that, and Sunday yet (still) better.
Chaika пишет: 29 апр 2021, 03:54 In this sentence both "yet" and "still" sound very odd to me and I would use "even" instead.
I absolutely agree, for now that I've read lots of examples and gotten Easy Breezy's answer, I can clearly see it.
However, two "evens" in one short sentence... Maybe

"Saturday was an even better day, and Sunday better still" ?

Anyway, to me, the problem doesn't seem so acute/grave as it was when I started the thread.
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#8

Сообщение Chaika »

VictorB пишет: 29 апр 2021, 10:02 "Saturday was an even better day, and Sunday better still"
Nice way to get rid of two "even". But now there are two "better"! :^)

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#9

Сообщение VictorB »

Chaika пишет: 29 апр 2021, 15:44 But now there are two "better"
LOL! But isn't it better than two "even" and two "better")))
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#10

Сообщение Chaika »

How about
Saturday was better still, and Sunday even more so.
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