always
part of speech
adverb
meaning for a pupil
1) Always means every time, with no exception. tree →
2) Always means for all time, forever: I will always love you. tree →
3) Always can mean again and again, often in an annoying way: he is always losing his keys. tree →
4) (casual) «As always» or «as per usual» means just as it happens every time, often said with a sigh. tree →
5) (formal) The exam voice says «invariably», «without exception», «in all cases» or «at all times» where a child would say «always». tree →
sense in the lessons
a rule that holds every time («We always subtract the smaller number from the bigger one»); in science laws that always hold (water always boils at 100 °C at sea level); in safety rules «always wear a helmet», «always look both ways»; in everyday habits; in casual and rough talk a complaint about a habit («you're always nicking my stuff», «typical, always late»); in the exam voice «invariably», «at all times», «in all cases», «without exception»
examples
- We always subtract the smaller number from the bigger one. tree →
- Ella always buys 2 apples on her way home. tree →
- A week always has 7 days. tree →
- Always look both ways before you cross the road. tree →
- Always wash your hands before you eat. tree →
- The sun always rises in the east. tree →
- My little brother is always asking questions. tree →
- Grandma always reads us a story at bedtime. tree →
- ugh he's always late, as per usual tree →
- You're always nicking my pens, get your own! tree →
- Pupils shall at all times remain seated whilst the vehicle is in motion. tree →
- A quantity multiplied by one invariably remains unchanged. tree →
- But he always guarded it faithfully. tree →
note
Marks a rule or a repeated habit; no operation clue by itself. Trap: «always buys 2 each day» may hide repeated groups, so count the days. It usually stands before the main verb (she always walks) but after «is/are» (she is always late). «is always losing» with -ing is a complaint about a habit, not a rule. Opposite: never. «invariably» and «without exception» in an exam mean exactly «always».
In the corpora
- Borrowing always has a price called interest, so the total paid back is more than the price tag.
- Separating means parents stop living together as a couple; it may lead to a divorce, but not always straight away.
- You should always ask before touching someone's bump.
- Betting companies set the odds so that, overall, they always make money.
- Fair does not always mean the same for everyone; sometimes it means each person gets what they need.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «always» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.