Present Perfect: Still Haven't

This pattern uses the Present Perfect tense. It adds the word still for extra flavor. The word still is the star here. It emphasizes that time is passing. It shows that a situation has not changed. Imagine you are at a restaurant. You ordered a pizza thirty minutes ago. You are very hungry now. You look at your empty table. You tell your friend: "I still haven't received my food." The still shows that you expected the food sooner. Without still, the sentence is just a neutral report. With still, the sentence has an emotional spark. It highlights the delay. It focuses on your current state of waiting. It is perfect for talking about goals too. Maybe you want to visit Paris. You planned it years ago. You say: "I still haven't been to France." This shows that the desire is old. The action is long overdue in your mind. It is a very human way to speak.

1. 1Building this sentence is very simple. Just follow these five steps:
2. 2Start with your Subject (like I, You, She, or They).
3. 3Put the word still immediately after the subject.
4. 4Add the negative auxiliary verb haven't or hasn't.
5. 5Use the Past Participle (V3) form of your main verb.
6. 6Finish with the rest of your information.
7. 7Here is a quick formula: Subject + still + haven't/hasn't + V3.
8. 8For I, you, we, and they, use haven't.
9. 9For he, she, and it, use hasn't.
10. 10Always keep still before the auxiliary verb. This is a very important rule. Putting it elsewhere sounds very strange to native speakers. It is like putting the milk in the bowl before the cereal. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes! Just remember: Subject first, then still, then the action.

Use this when you are surprised by a delay. Imagine a job interview. They said they would call on Monday. It is now Friday. You say: "They still haven't called me." This shows your surprise. Use it when a problem continues. "My computer still hasn't fixed itself." (Wouldn't that be nice?). Use it for personal life experiences. "I still haven't seen the new Marvel movie." This implies you really intended to see it. It is great for social situations. Use it when asking for directions. "I still haven't found the library." It shows you have been looking for a while. It adds context to your struggle. It is also common in professional settings. "The client still hasn't signed the contract." This tells your boss there is a delay. It is clear and very effective. It is like a grammar traffic light stuck on red.

Do not use this for simple, neutral facts. If you just woke up, don't say this. "I still haven't brushed my teeth" sounds like you were supposed to do it hours ago. If it is only 8:00 AM, just say "I haven't brushed my teeth yet." Avoid using it for things you never planned to do. Don't say: "I still haven't climbed Mount Everest" unless you are a climber. It sounds like you are late for your mountain trip! Also, do not use it in positive sentences. You cannot say: "I still have finished." That makes no sense at all. For positive sentences, use "I have already finished." This grammar is only for things that are missing. It is for the empty spaces in your schedule. It is for the "not yet" moments in life. Keep it for the things that matter.

Many learners put still in the wrong place. They say: "I haven't still eaten." This is a classic error. It sounds very clunky and wrong. Always put still before the haven't. Another mistake is using the wrong verb form. Don't say: "He still hasn't went." You must use the past participle. Say: "He still hasn't gone." Check your V3 list often! Some people confuse still with yet. They are brothers, but they are not twins. Yet usually goes at the end of the sentence. Still goes in the middle. Also, don't forget the s for he, she, and it. "She still haven't called" is a very common slip. Use hasn't for third-person subjects. It keeps your grammar clean and professional. Think of it like a grammar check-up.

Let's compare still haven't with haven't yet.

1. 1"I haven't finished my report yet." This is a neutral fact. It is calm.
2. 2"I still haven't finished my report." This shows a bit of stress. It feels like it is taking too long.

Use yet for a simple status update. Use still when you are frustrated or surprised. Think of yet as a polite clerk. Think of still as a slightly impatient customer. You can also compare it to still don't. "I still don't know" is about a state. "I still haven't found out" is about a completed action. The Present Perfect version focuses on the result. It focuses on the time from the past until now. It covers the whole waiting period. It is much more descriptive than simple present.