Upper-Intermediate · Grammar Reference
Unit 9 — Expressing Habit
adverbs of frequency · present continuous · will/would · used to · be/get used to
9.1 Expressing habit
Present Simple
- Adverbs of frequency come before the main verb, but after the verb to be: We hardly ever go out. She frequently forgets what she's doing.
- Sometimes, usually, normally, and occasionally can come at the beginning or end of a sentence: Sometimes we play cards. The cinema occasionally.
- The other adverbs of frequency don't usually move in this way.
Present Continuous
- The Present Continuous can be used to express a habit which happens more often than is usual: I like Peter. He's always smiling. She's always giving people presents.
- There is often an element of criticism with this structure.
- There is usually an adverb of frequency with this use: I'm always losing my keys.
will and would
- Will and would express typical behaviour — both pleasant and unpleasant habits: He'll sit at his computer for hours on end. She'd spend all day long gossiping with the neighbours.
- Would cannot be used to express a state:
He'd live in a large house. - Will and would, when decontracted and stressed, express an annoying habit or action: He will come into the house with his muddy boots on. She would keep criticizing my work.
used to + infinitive
- This structure expresses a past action and/or a state. It has no present equivalent: When I was a child, we used to go on holiday to the seaside.
- Notice the negative and the question: Where did you use to go? We didn't use to do anything interesting.
- We cannot use used to with a time reference + a number.
be/get used to + noun + -ing form
- This is totally different from used to + infinitive. It expresses an action that was difficult, strange, or unusual before, but is no longer so. Used here is an adjective meaning 'familiar with': I found travelling around London by Tube weird at first, but I'm used to it now.
- Notice the use of get to express the process of adapting: I'm getting used to the climate. Don't worry. You'll get used to eating with chopsticks.
- In a narrative expressing a series of past actions, it is common to begin with used to, then continue with would: When I was a child, we used to go on holiday to the seaside. We'd play on the beach, then we'd eat at a small café at lunchtime.