Slide 1: ENGLISH LANGUAGE
EXPRESSING HABIT HABIT PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE : eg. 1. Sometimes we play cards.
2. We go to the cinema occasionally. PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE Adverbs of frequency come before the main verb,but after the verb “ to be “ eg.1. We hardly ever go out.
2. We are seldom at home in the evening. Sometimes,usually and occasionally can come at the beginning or at the end of a sentence *** The other adverbs of frequency don’t usually move in this way *** PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE : PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE eg. I like Peter. He’s always smiling.
eg.1. He is always asking questions. ( this annoys me )
2.He always asks questions. ( this is a fact )
eg. I am always loosing my keys. It can be used to express a habit which happens often and perhaps unexpectedly. It happens more than is usual. There is often an element of criticism in this type of constructions. There is usually an adverb of frequency with this use. Will and would : Will and would 1. WILL and WOULD express typical behaviour. They describe both pleasant and unpleasent habits.
eg. He’ll smoke a packet of cigarrettes a day.
*** WOULD can not be used to express a state ***
eg. He’d live in a large house. ( this is not correct )
2. WILL and WOULD when are decontracted and stressed they express an annoying habit.
eg. 1. He WILL come into the house with his muddy boots on.
2. She WOULD make us wash in ice-cold water. USED TO + INF. : USED TO + INF. 1. It expresses a past action and a state. It has no present equavilent.
eg.1. When I was a child we used to go on holiday to the seaside. (action)
2. He used to live in a large house. (state)
2. Look what happens in negatives and questions :
eg.1. Where did you use to go?
2. We didn’t use to do anything interesting.
3. We can not use used to with a time reference + a number
eg.1. We used to have a holiday there for ten years / five times. But
2. We used to go there every year.
*** in a narrative when expressing a series of past actions, it is common to begin with used to, then continue with would, because of the style BE / GET USED TO + NOUN + “-ING” FORM : BE / GET USED TO + NOUN + “-ING” FORM 1. It expresses an action that was difficult,strange or unusual before, but is no longer so.
*** here used to is an adjective and it means familiar with ***
eg.1. I find it difficult to get round London when I first came, but I’m used to it now.
2. Notice the use of get to express the process of change.
eg.1. I’m getting used to the climate.
2. Don’t worry. You’ll get used to eating with chopsticks.