I have always wanted to vs I always wanted to

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 'I have always wanted to' implies a desire that has persisted from the past up to the present moment. 'I always wanted to' expresses a desire that existed in the past without specifying if it still applies. The choice between them depends on whether you want to emphasize the continuity of the desire or simply state a past wish.

Last updated: April 15, 2024 • 125 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express a desire that has persisted from the past up to the present moment.

"I have always wanted to"

This phrase is used to talk about a desire that started in the past and continues up to the present. It emphasizes the continuity of the wish.

Examples:

I have always wanted to visit Japan.
She has always wanted to learn how to play the piano.
He has always wanted to become a doctor.

Show examples from the web [+]
Last updated: November 05, 2024

Feb 17, 2019 ... "I have always wanted to do this" is about the past tense. And and there is no significant difference in meaning. Both are correct. In fact, if ...
11 hours ago ... I have always wanted to have dinner someplace, with all the formal stuff in the picture. Is there any place in town this formal? paty · Comments ...
Sep 2, 2024 ... I have always wanted to stop at the Four Corners Park in Madawaska,Maine. This is one of the four corners of Maine and also one of the four ...
Nov 2, 2020 ... I have always wanted to try out snowboarding but i never got the chance. Now I do and I have no clue where to start? Riding ? Any advice oh ...
Jun 6, 2019 ... I have always wanted to have abs, but could never make it happen. No matter how many 3 day juice cleanses I suffered through, ...
Oct 31, 2023 ... 3034 likes, 93 comments - sac.a.lait on October 31, 2023: "I have always wanted to get a big axis, and it happened today because of the ...
Apr 11, 2024 ... As a dog mom of 4, I have always wanted to feed my pups nothing but the best✨and the best is Freshpet! My girls go crazy over this ...
Mar 18, 2021 ... I have always wanted to check out The Swell. Turns out there's some amazing stone and still some beautiful unclimbed lines. This one ...
Dec 8, 2023 ... Since I was a child, I have always wanted to live abroad as soon as I finished university and had the money to move. Source: as soon as I ...
Aug 11, 2024 ... Alyssa and I have always wanted to see the Northern Lights - tonight we did! It took the iPhone to really capture it, but the glow was there. Pretty cool.

Alternatives:

I have wanted to for a long time.
I have had a desire to for a while.
I have been wanting to for ages.
I have longed to for years.
I have harbored a wish to for a long time.

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express a desire that existed in the past without specifying if it still applies.

"I always wanted to"

This phrase is used to talk about a desire that was present in the past. It does not specify whether the wish still exists in the present.

Examples:

I always wanted to learn how to dance.
She always wanted to travel the world.
He always wanted to write a book.

Show examples from the web [+]

May 12, 2015 ... I always wanted to be a Journalist but my dad want me to be an Astronaut where my mom wants an Engineer and she succeeded. You know why i ...
Feb 17, 2019 ... I always wanted to do this means that the verb want completed at a time in the past. In the simple past format, the emphasis lies on completion ...
Jun 10, 2020 ... This is all very personal for me, at one level because I always wanted to be involved in space exploration. My father was an optical engineer ...
Mar 5, 2019 ... “I always wanted to do this” has become a common usage to people who DO NOT KNOW the grammar rule! Have fun! Thanks for the question! It is an ...
Feb 25, 2021 ... I always wanted to make a dramatic White House entrance… just like Annette Bening in “The American President.” · “So I'm picking you from my ...
Sep 5, 2023 ... As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a blogger. Luke Winkie. Sep 5, 2023.
I'm not a Parakeet, but I always wanted to be one. Pondering Jimmy Buffett's legacy of ancestral music fandom. Addie Broyles. Sep 4, 2023.

Alternatives:

I wanted to for a long time.
I desired to for a while.
I yearned to for ages.
I longed to for years.
I harbored a wish to for a long time.

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