# always

/ˈɔɫˌweɪz/ (US) · /ˈɔːlweɪz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/always
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Senses

### 1. at all times

adverb · CEFR A1

every time or all the time.

For teachers: at all times; on every occasion without exception.

- The sun always rises in the east every morning.
- The legal department always reviews the contracts before they are sent to the client to ensure full compliance with local regulations.

### 2. repeatedly

adverb · CEFR A2

happening very often or all the time, sometimes in an annoying way.

For teachers: occurring with great frequency or persistence, often used with continuous tenses to express habit or irritation.

- He is always losing his keys right when we need to leave.
- The neighbours are always complaining about the noise, even when we are just having a quiet dinner on the patio.

### 3. as a backup option

adverb · CEFR B2 · Informal

you use this to suggest a plan if other things do not work.

For teachers: used to suggest a course of action that remains available if other options fail.

- If the restaurant is full, we can always just order a pizza.
- While the primary strategy is to sell the assets, we can always apply for a short-term loan if the market remains stagnant.

Teaching tip: This sense is common in spoken English when making suggestions or offering solutions.

## Examples

- The sun always rises in the east.
- I always check my emails first thing in the morning to see if there are any urgent tasks.
- While scientific theories are subject to change as new evidence emerges, the fundamental laws of physics are treated as if they always apply throughout the known universe.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I always am happy." but "I am always happy." — Frequency adverbs like 'always' must follow the verb 'to be', even though they precede most other verbs.

## Usage notes

- Frequency adverb — typically placed before the main verb, but after the verb 'to be'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.