Martin (1992: 232):
The aspectual continuity markers are illustrated below. Inceptives (e.g. already, finally and at last) are opposed to continuatives (e.g. still); and inceptives are divided into those signalling that something has begun sooner than expected (already) and those coding that it has begun later than expected (finally and at last).
FRUITION:PRECEDENCE[4:173] Is Ben coming?— He's already here.
FRUITION:ENDURANCE[4:174] Has Ben shown up?— He's finally arrived.
CONTINUATION[4:175] Has Ben left?— No, he's still here.
Blogger Comments:
[1] In SFL theory, these "aspectual continuity markers" are mood Adjuncts of temporality. They function interpersonally, not logically.
[2] In SFL theory, the mood Adjuncts already and still differ in terms of expectation with regard to the interpersonal time at issue (see Halliday & Matthiessen 2004: 127-8).
[3] The terms inceptive and durative — not continuative — relate to the elaboration of processes in terms of phase (see Halliday & Matthiessen 2004: 499-501).
[4] The mood Adjuncts already, finally and at last are concerned with expectation with regard to interpersonal time, not the beginning phase of processes.
[5] In SFL theory, the textual cohesion (substitution & ellipsis) is marked here by the mood Adjunct of polarity no (see Halliday & Matthiessen 2004: 564). In Martin's model, the logical relation of continuity is marked here by the continuative still (which in SFL theory is an interpersonal Adjunct).
