This document provides information and examples about using different tenses and structures to talk about habits and frequency in English, including: - Using the present simple and present continuous tenses, as well as "tend to", to talk about present habits. - Using will/won't for more emphatic descriptions of present habits. - Talking about past habits using the past simple tense, "used to", and "would". - Expressions like "how often", "more than before", and "once in a blue moon" to describe frequency. - The differences between "used to" and "be/get used to + ing".

2. Present simple
I hardly ever go out these days.
As a rule, I don’t watch mucht TV.
- You can use tend to to talk about present habits.
I tend to stay in during the week.
I don’t tend to read much (or I tend not to read much)

3. Will/won’t
It’s more emphatic than present simple.
I’ll usually listen to some music before I go to bed.
I won’t normally get up before 11 at the weekend.

4. Present continuous
Often used to talk about annoying habits.
He’s always watching TV!
He’ s always losing his keys!
Remember there are some verbs, called state verbs,
which are not usually used in the continuous form.

5. Some state verbs.
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,…

6. Talking about past habits
Past simple
I did it every day for 10 years but then I gave up.

7. Used to & would
Used to
I never used to read much when I was a kid.
I used to eat a lot but I can’t afford to these days.
Don’t say *use to* in the present, say usually.
You can usewould for repeated actions in the past
When I was in France I would always eat croissants fro
breakfast.
You can’t use would with state verbs: I didn’t recognize
him. He *wouldn’t* have a beard.

8. 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

9. Btw, what’s a blue moon? What’s
the meaning of once in a blue
moon?

10. Be used to/get used to + ing
Don’t confuse used to with be used to/get used
to + ing.
I am not used to getting up early in the morning
because I work in the evening.
I’m getting used to my new students this year.

12. 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.

13. Choose the correct word in italics.
I didn’t use/wasn’t used to like cooking very much.
didn’t use
I’m getting used to work/working from home.
working
I’m used to/I used to living on my own.
I’m used to
My family would/were used to always stay in a caravan
for their summer holidays.
would
It’s difficult to get/getting used to a different way of
life.
get

14. 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.