Need help from native speakers-always and all the time

Question

Hi,What is the difference between always and all the time in the example below?She is always happy.She is happy all the time.Thanks!

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

None, really.

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Hi Clive,

Could you help me check if 'all the time' works in these examples:

1. He is always out./ He is out all the time.

2. I've always believed he was innocent./ I've believed all the time that he was innocent .

3. He said I'd always been his closest friend./ He said I'd been his closest friend all the time.

What's the difference in meaning if it works here?

Thanks!

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Could you help me check if 'all the time' works in these examples:

1. He is always out./ He is out all the time. No real difference. 'All the time' seems a bit more casual.

2. I've always believed he was innocent./ I've believed all the time that he was innocent .

Here, 'all the time' seems to stress the period more, ie 'from the time he was accused until now'. You could say it seems a bit more specific in this context. It's a rather subtle, maybe even subjective, difference.

3. He said I'd always been his closest friend./ He said I'd been his closest friend all the time.

This is a bit like #2. 'Always' sounds like 'for his whole life'. 'All the time' sounds like it refers to some more speciic period.

In 2 and 3, 'all the time' also seems to hint that the period is now ended.

eg The jury said today that he was innocent. I believed it all the time.

What's the difference in meaning if it works here?

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you very much for your reply.

Need help from native speakers-always and all the time

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