I wanted vs. I have wanted

[Torsten]

What do you think of the following sentence:

Since the moment I entered the work force, I wanted to be an entrepreneur.

I mean, wouldn't the present perfect in the second clause work too (Since the moment I entered the work force, I have wanted to be an entrepreneur.)

What do you say?
Thanks,
Torsten
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[Pamela]

I think, Torsten, most Americans tend to use simple present, past tense instead of the perfect form.

Just my thoughts

[Mister Micawber]

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Present perfect sounds fine and natural to me, Torsten, and I would choose it over simple present even if I were just chatting.
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[canadian45]

With "have" the sentence suggests that the speaker still hasn't achieved the goal of becoming an entrepeneur. Without "have' one doesn't know if the goal has been achieved, but if I am forced to choose I will say that the goal has already been achieved.
"had wanted" also suggests that the goal has been achieved, or possibly abandoned.
If the person already is an entrepeneur, I would definitely use simple past tense.

Does anyone agree with me?

[Yankee]

Hi Torsten

My reaction to the two sentences is basically the same as Canadian45's:

If I heard someone use your original sentence, I'd probably assume that the person already IS an entrepreneur. However, if that were the case, I also think it would have been better to say "From the moment I entered the work force..."

If the present perfect were used in the sentence, I'd tend to assume that the speaker is not an entrepreneur yet, but wants to be.

Amy
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Alan]

Hi Torsten,

I think the crucial point is that the verb 'want' by its very meaning indicates a period of continuing duration. By making the tense Present perfect you are simply emphasising that the 'wanting' has been going on for some time. As for the difference in meaning I would suggest: Since the moment ...... I wanted to be an entrepreneur indicates: And as you know I became one in the end. Or: Since the moment... I have wanted to be an entrepreneur indicates: And as you know this has now happened and now I am one.

A
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