Situations and habits in the present and past

This is Kate Morrison

Now

• She’ll usually read fairy tales to her children.

• Her husband goes through phases of reading thick novels.

• She tends to go to a good musical whenever she can.

• She tends not to pay much attention to gossip magazines.

• She seldom gets to find the time for the cinema.• Her husband is always listening to his iPod.

EXPRESSING HABITSIn the present:

• Present simple + expression of frequencyShe seldom gets …

• Tend to / Tend not to + INFShe tends to …She tends not to ...

• Go through phases of + ING (temporary habits)Her husband goes through phases of …

• Will (emphatic)She’ll usually read …

• Present Continuous + frequency adverb (annoying)Her husband is always …. …

STATE VERBS

There are some verbs

which are nearly always

used in a simple rather

than a continuous

tense.

These are “state” verbs

and they usually refer to

thoughts, feelings,belonging

and the senses.

THOUGHTS: believe, know, mean, realise, recognise, remember, suppose, understand, feel, think.FEELINGS: adore, dislike, despise, hate, love, want, wish, prefer,…BELONGING: belong, have/have got (=posses), own, posses,…SENSES: smell, taste, hear, see.OTHER STATE VERBS: seem, look, look like, matter,…

Some verbs have a stative meaning and a different active meaning:

She’s got a beautiful house We’re having an interesting conversation.It tastes delicious I’m tasting the sauce.I think you’ll pass your examI’m thinking about you.

Ten years ago…

• She went to University from Monday to Friday.• She used to study with some friends at the

library.

• She lived in the UK with her parents.• She would go for a drink with her friends on

Saturday.

PAST SIMPLE

We use “past simple” to: Talk about permanent, long-term situations in the

past: She lived with her family. Refer to past habits: She went to University from Monday to Friday.

USED TO / WOULD

We can use both “used to” and “would” to

talk about past habits when we are

emphasising that they are no longer true: She used to study at the library She would go for a drink with her friends

on Saturday.

“Used to” is much more common than would

“Used to” can also refer to states:

She used to be crazy about Michael Jackson.

We can’t use “would” for that.

Don’t confuse “used to”, which is a past

tense, with “be/get used to (doing), which

can be present, past or future:

She’s used to living in the States.

She’s getting used to driving to work.

How often do you…?

• More than before/I used to/should• Not as much as I’d like to/I used to/should• Whenever I can/I get the chance• All the time• (not) as a rule, (not) usually• On the whole, generally• By and large, generally• Now and again, once in a while, from time to time• Once in a blue moon

CustomsBE/ GET USED TO + ing:

What’s the difference between these two

sentences?

“I have to get used to going to bed earlier”

“I’m used to going to bed before 10”

Now, It’s your turn!Choose the correct word in italics.

• I didn’t use to/wasn’t used to like cooking very much.

• I’m getting used to work/working from home. • I’m used to/I used to living on my own.

• My family would/were used to always stay in a caravan for their summer holidays.

• It’s difficult to get/getting used to a different way of life.

Finish the sentences so that they are true for you. Add further information.

- I’m used to …

- When I was young, I would …

- Every now and again I …

- I have never got used to …

- My cousin is always … (complaint)

- … once in a blue moon.

- Your own idea.

Tell your partner about…

• a singer/band you used to like when you were younger (and now you are embarrased about).

• what you would do after school when you were a child.

• a machine you would use a lot but now you don’t.

• a change at work/school/family that was a problem at first but now you are used to .

• a piece of technology you found difficult to use at first but now you are used to using.