“I Want to Follow Up” vs. “I Wanted to Follow Up”: What’s the Difference?

Jun 10, 2023
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The difference between “I want to follow up” and “I wanted to follow up”

  • The first phrase is present tense while the second is past tense, indicating a difference in timeframe and urgency.
  • "I want to follow up" implies that the person intends to act on the desire soon, while "I wanted to follow up" suggests that the opportunity for follow-up has passed.
  • The first phrase implies an active engagement or interest in the situation, while the second phrase suggests resignation or lack of interest.
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What is the definition of “I want to follow up” and “I wanted to follow up”?

I want to follow up
  • This phrase expresses a present desire or intention to take a particular action.
  • It suggests that the person is currently actively considering or planning the follow up.
  • The person using this phrase is indicating a sense of urgency or importance in the follow up.
I wanted to follow up
  • This phrase expresses a past desire or intention to take a particular action.
  • It suggests that the desire or intention was not acted upon at the time and is no longer a current concern.
  • The person using this phrase is indicating that they are no longer interested in following up.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“I want to follow up” is the more popular variant on the web.
More popular
I want to follow up
12,700,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. I want to follow up on the status of my job application.
  2. I want to follow up regarding the delayed shipment of my package.
  3. I want to follow up with you about the meeting we had last week.
I wanted to follow up
6,410,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. I wanted to follow up with you after our disagreement, but I wasn't sure if it was a good time.
  2. I wanted to follow up on the application I submitted a month ago, but I still haven't heard back.
  3. I wanted to follow up with the customer service representative because my issue wasn't resolved during our call.
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