While learning the word "yet" in the Cambridge dictionary, I found the sentence:
Our holiday isn't for weeks yet.
I can't understand what the sentence means. What it means in general? Does "isn't for weeks" mean "doesn't last for weeks"?
English Language Learners Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for speakers of other languages learning English. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this communityWhile learning the word "yet" in the Cambridge dictionary, I found the sentence:
Our holiday isn't for weeks yet.
I can't understand what the sentence means. What it means in general? Does "isn't for weeks" mean "doesn't last for weeks"?
If something will happen when a particular amount of time has elapsed, you use the preposition in:
Our holiday is in four weeks
If something will not happen within a specified period of time, you use the preposition for:
Our holiday isn't for several weeks
We generally use the negative form when we want to emphasise that something will not happen for a long period of time.
We can add the adverb yet without changing the meaning:
Our holiday isn't for several weeks yet
We can omit several without changing the meaning:
Our holiday isn't for weeks yet
You would most likely use this expression if somebody asks whether you are going on holiday soon, and you want to make it clear that you are not going on holiday soon at all.
In that context, "yet" contributes almost nothing. It's simply a choice of wording. It might, sometimes, add a bit of emphasis but the operative word would be "bit"…
"… isn't for weeks" does not mean "won't last (for) weeks…" it means "won't start for weeks…"
We might more clearly say "Our holiday isn't for weeks yet."