Present And Past Habits 3n541w

The present simple tense is used to express repeated, habitual actions in the present. Adverbs of frequency, such as always, usually, regularly, frequently, often, sometimes, rarely, seldom, occasionally and never, and adverb phrases, for example, every year, once in a blue moon and three times a day, are often used with this tense. EX: What's the first thing you usually do when you get up in the morning? I go to the gym twice a week.

Will + infinitive is used to talk about habitual behavior. Frequency adverbs can also be added. We do not usually use this form with state verbs.  EX: She will sometimes spend the whole day reading 

 The

present continuous tense is used to describe repeated, habitual actions that begin before a specific point in time (not necessarily the time of speaking) and finish after it. This point can be expressed with a time expression or a clause with a verb in the present simple tense.  EX: At 7.15, I'm having breakfast. Whenever I get home, my dog is sleeping in the armchair.

 The

present continuous is also used for repeated, habitual actions that continue for a period of time. This period of time can be expressed with a time expression or a clause with a verb in the present continuous tense.  EX: I'm having breakfast between 7 and 7.30. While I'm walking the dog, my wife is making dinner.

 The

past simple is used to express habits and states that existed during a period of time in the past. This period can be implied or expressed with a time expression or a clause.

 EX:When

I was a child, I visited my grandma every weekend. (habit) When my brother was young, he liked spinach. (state)

 Would

and used (to) have very similar meanings and can often be used in the same situations. Would expresses that an activity was routine, typical behavior, having duration or frequently repeated. We do not usually use this form with state verbs.

 Use

(to) (used in the past tense) expresses that an activity was a past habit; it occurred at an earlier stage of life but not now. It focuses on the habit, not duration or frequency

 EX:

We would go to the beach after school.  The guys would smoke and act "cool“.  You used to play the piano.  Jerry used to pay the bills.   We

do not use used to and would+ infinitive to talk about something that only happened once.