5.83 'already' for emphasizing occurrence
If you want to emphasize that a situation exists, rather than not yet having occurred, you use 'already'. It is usually put in front of any simple verb except 'be', or after 'be' as a main verb, or following an auxiliary verb.
- The energy already exists in the ground.
- Senegal already has a well established film industry.
- He was just a year younger than Rudolph, but was already as tall and much stockier.
- My watch says nine o'clock. And it's already too hot to sleep.
- We have already advertised your post in the papers.
- Britain is already exporting a little coal.
You can put 'already' at the beginning or the end of the clause for emphasis.
- Already, European consumers pay over the odds for T.V. sets, video recorders, and other goods.
- I was happy for her; she looked better already.
'Already' is not often used with the simple past tense, except with the verbs 'be', 'have', and 'know'.
Note that 'already' cannot normally be used in negative statements, but can be used in negative 'if'-clauses, negative questions, and relative clauses.
- Refer certain types of death to the coroner if this has not already been done.
- What does it show us that we haven't already felt?
- ...all peers who did not already belong to the Privy Council.