Continuous verbs with “always”

Continuous verb forms with Always

We can use “always”, “continually” and other similar words with a continuous form to mean “very often”

  • John’s always losing his keys.
  • Mrs Smith is wonderful. She‘s always giving people vegetables and flowers from her garden.
  • I’m forever seeing Mary on the bus these days.
  • My dog‘s continually escaping from the garden.

 

The structure is used to talk about things which are unexpected or unplanned.

Compare:

  • I always meet my husband at the station on Fridays after work
  • (a regular, planned arrangement)
  • We‘re always meeting Bill and Florence in the supermarket.
  • (unplanned, accidental meeting – a coincidence)
  • Our English teacher always organised monthly trips to the theatre.
  • (Planned, regular)
  • Our parents were always organising surprise picnics and trips to the coast.
  • (unexpected, irregular)

 

It is also used for unexpected actions that are surprising, annoying or frustrating.

  • Philip and Glenn are always arriving late to class.
  • (which is annoying because the class is disrupted when they arrive)
  • My son is always leaving his dirty socks on the bathroom floor.
  • (annoying and frustrating)
  • Diana‘s always forgetting where she has parked her car, so we usually get home late.

Misuse of always and never

When something annoys us, or surprises us, we often use the words always or never incorrectly:

Mother: Why are you always forgetting to do your homework?

Son      : But Mum, I’ve only forgotten it twice all year!


Mike     : Why do you never remember my birthday?

Mary     : Here’s your present!

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