I would have liked to be vs I would have liked to become

Both phrases are correct, but they have slightly different meanings and contexts. 'I would have liked to be' is used when expressing a desire to be in a certain state or condition, while 'I would have liked to become' is used when expressing a desire to transform into something or someone. The choice between the two depends on what the speaker wants to convey.

Last updated: March 24, 2024 • 944 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"I would have liked to be"

This phrase is used when expressing a desire to be in a certain state or condition.

Examples:

I would have liked to be a doctor.
I would have liked to be more confident.
I would have liked to be in Paris right now.

Show examples from the web [+]

Now I would have liked to be in that water.
I would have liked to be Andres's mistress
"I would have liked to be your father," "but I'm just not ready."
But I would have liked to be lonely.
I would have liked to be told what was the land of the dead like.
Here I would have liked to be able to report that the nominated technical cooperation officer had been appointed in November as had been planned.
I would have liked to be able to vote in favour at this historic moment because I support the single currency.
I would have liked to be Andres's mistress To wait for him in silk nightgowns and shiny shoes
I really would have liked to be someone else.
I would have liked us to be able to discuss this decision of Parliament's together with the question of appointing the new director of OLAF.
I would have liked it to be at the core of the report.
I think he would have liked to be in with us.
However, I would have liked this report to be more objective, in keeping with the provisions of international and humanitarian law.
Thirdly, I would have liked our resolution to be more precise on certain key points, for example the availability of medicines.
I would have liked the common position to be clearer about the need for a firm distinction between discovery and invention.
Of course I would have liked you to be more like Santa Claus and tell me now how much extra money we will have to produce in future for the minorities and for promoting minority languages.
Unfortunately, this agreement with the Union of the Comoros is not as sustainable as I would have liked it to be, as it does not contain an ultimate ceiling for how much EU vessels are permitted to fish.
It is certainly good to see the Council represented, but I would have liked Commissioner Gradin to be in attendance too.
There is a lot of balancing to do, and I would have liked more positions to be able to satisfy all the criteria that have been mentioned here.
I am not going to be able to be with you on the 17th, although I would very much have liked to be there.

Alternatives:

I would have liked to have been
I would have liked to become
I would have wanted to be
I would have wished to be
I would have preferred to be

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"I would have liked to become"

This phrase is used when expressing a desire to transform into something or someone.

Examples:

I would have liked to become a better person.
I would have liked to become a successful entrepreneur.
I would have liked to become fluent in Spanish.

Show examples from the web [+]

I would have liked to know what, in concrete terms, will become of environmental liability, what new points the Commission is planning.
We would have liked this to have become a normal report adopted by the Foreign Affairs Committee in the normal way.
Now I would have liked to be in that water.
I would have liked to see Gibbs shoot that computer.
But I would have liked to be lonely.
I would have liked to see our situation cleared up.
I would have liked to see more on the social economy.
I would have liked to hear braver words from the Presidency today.
I would have liked to see you withdraw the agreement.
But I would have liked to see an earlier German Government...
I would have liked to see it put forward this initiative.
I would have liked to see more concrete measures for achieving greater openness and providing Parliament with more information.
Your husband sounds like someone I would have liked to have met.
I would have liked to have continued but nothing beats Reality.
I would have liked to marry your grandfather.
I would have liked to play the clavier... and perhaps compose.
I would have liked to show you Florence, Will.
I would have liked to give you a quote from Conan, but...
But I would have liked to have been consulted in the choice.
I would have liked to try being a mom.

Alternatives:

I would have liked to be
I would have wanted to become
I would have wished to become
I would have preferred to become
I would have aspired to become

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I would have liked to be vs I would have liked to become