Still vs Yet: Continuing Now or Not Completed
In TOEIC Part 5, still and yet often appear in updates about delayed work, open positions, pending approvals, and ongoing business activity.
The fast choice is not “What is the grammar name?” The fast choice is: is the situation continuing now, or has the expected action not happened?
The 7-second choice
Check whether the sentence describes something that remains true or an action that remains unfinished.
Still
The same situation continues: still waiting, still available, still working, still under review.
Yet
An expected action has not happened, or someone asks whether it has happened: not approved yet, has it arrived yet?
The signal to remember
This is the MTC move. Follow the status of the situation instead of translating both words.
The same situation continues now. Choose still.
The expected action has not happened. Choose yet.
The review is continuing. Choose still.
Approval is still missing. Choose yet.
What TOEIC wants you to notice
TOEIC often places this choice inside status reports, emails, notices, project updates, and customer-service messages.
The current condition continues.
The activity continues.
The expected result has not happened.
Watch the sentence shape
The sentence structure usually gives a strong test-time signal.
Still often comes before
A condition or continuing action: still available, still working, still reviewing.
Yet often comes after
A negative completion statement or question: has not arrived yet, is it ready yet?
The review process continues.
Approval has not happened.
Under pressure, ask one question: continuing situation, or missing result?
Quick TOEIC check
Choose first. Then read the feedback. Use the one-second check: continuing now, or not completed?
1. The customer-service desk is ___ open, so you can call before 8 p.m.
2. The replacement parts have not arrived ___.
3. The hiring committee is ___ considering two candidates for the position.
4. Has the accounting department issued the refund ___?
The mistake fast readers make
Fast readers often see that both words connect the past with now and choose by sound. The real difference is whether the sentence shows continuation or an expected result that has not arrived.
Weak choice
Translate both words as “up to now” and guess.
Better choice
Check the status: continuing condition, continuing action, or missing result?
Why this mistake returns under pressure
Japanese often shows the distinction through the full sentence ending. In English, the position of the word and the sentence shape carry much of the signal.
Do not translate the sentence twice. Find the status pattern and decide.
Continue building fast time decisions
These related pages also train the test-taker to recognise completion, continuation, and current status.
Use small TOEIC mistakes as a diagnostic
If you understand the answer during review but miss it under time pressure, the problem may be your decision pattern rather than the words alone.
Start with the Learning Block Diagnostic to see whether your mistakes connect to Speed Trap, Memoriser, Over Thinker, Translator, Passive Listener, or Burnout.
Continue reading
Use these pages to turn small TOEIC mistakes into faster decisions and better review.