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Moon7296 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

yet/still/in spite of what has just been said

1. We searched everywhere but we still couldn't find it.
2. The weather was cold and wet. Still, we had a great time.

I don't think "still" in #1 can be replaced with "yet". But it can in #2 without a comma, can't it? (deleting a comma is the only difference if "still" can be replaced with "yet" because they're different part of speech?)

Actually my dictionary says "still" can be used as an adverb with the meaning "in spite of what has just been said" just like "yet" when it is used as a conjunction."; my dictionary gives the same definition for "still" and "yet" when their part of speech are different: an adverb and a conjunction.
  

Top answer

moon7296 I don't think "still" in #1 can be replaced with "yet" True. moon7296 But it can in #2 without a comma, can't it? Right, though the presence/absence of the comma is just a style choice.

  • moon7296 I don't think "still" in #1 can be replaced with "yet" True.
  • moon7296 But it can in #2 without a comma, can't it?
  • Right, though the presence/absence of the comma is just a style choice.
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4 Answers
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moon7296I don't think "still" in #1 can be replaced with "yet"
True.
moon7296But it can in #2 without a comma, can't it?
Right, though the presence/absence of the comma is just a style choice.
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Mister MicawberRight, though the presence/absence of the comma is just a style choice.
Oh.. it's interesting to know adding the comma is just a style choice.
Then I'm very curious why dictionaries categorize "still" in my context as an adverb and "yet" as a conjunction. Do you have any idea?
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moon7296Then I'm very curious why dictionaries categorize "still" in my context as an adverb and "yet" as a conjunction.
I think it is just chance that, while still is an adverb and yet is a conjunction there, the sentence layouts look the same. We are misled by the fact that the two very similar words are both adverbs in other structures.
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Mister Micawberthe comma is just a style choice.
I disagree. It changes the meaning of "still". "Still we had a great time" mean that we continued to have a great time, which doesn't make much sense. "Still, we had a great time" means what it should here, that in spite of it, we had a great time.

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