PAST HABITS

Teacher Dante Nery

NURTURE VS NATURE

What do you
remember about
the nurture vs
nature debate?

... Lets focus on

Nurture today, can
you tell us some past
habits you had as a
child?
What are some of the
things you used to do

USED TO WOULD
PAST HABITS

Used to (affirmative form)

We use used to + infinitive to talk about
past habits which are now finished.
Robert used to play football when he was
younger, but he stopped playing 20 years
ago.

More examples: Kate used to go to the cinema a lot, but she doesn't now.
When I was a child I used to suck my thumb.

We also use used to for past states and situations which are no longer
true.
e.g. Robert used to be a very slim when he was younger.
I used to live in London, but I moved in 1980.

NEGATIVE AND
INTERROGATIVE

Used to (negative form)

the negative of used to is normally didn't use to (=did not use to)
e.g. I didn't use to live in London. You didn't use to like classical music.

Used to (question form)

We normally form questions with did...use to...?
e.g. Where did you use to live? Did you use to like classical music?

Would
We use would with the same meaning to talk about the past.
e.g. When I was a child my father would sometimes take me
fishing.
My grandmother was very absent-minded. She would often buy
something and then leave the shop without it.

Used to and Would

When we talk about past habits, we can use used to or would.
e.g. When we were children, we used to/would play Cowboys and
Indians together.
When we talk about past states, we can use used to, but NOT
would. Would is used only for regularly repeated actions. Used to
is used to express a situation existed in the past.
e.g. My grandfather used to be a policeman. (NOT: My
grandfather would be)
My husband used to have a moustache, but he shaved it off.
(NOT: My husband would have)
I used to live in California. I used to have a Volkswagen. (Would
cannot be used in these sentences.)

BE/GET USED TO
USED TO/ WOULD

BE/ GET USED TO

Habitual actions:

I am used to
getting up early.

I got used to
getting up early.

BE/ GET USED TO

Marge is used
to her
husband.

Marge got
used to him.

BE/ GET USED TO

Make up sentences:
1. I / sleep / when its noisy.
2. My friends / my dog.
3. His parents / not / listen to
hardcore
4. You / your new teacher?
5. I / this!

USED TO BE/GOT USED TO

1. I _______________have eggs for breakfast.

2. My brother _____________ work in a bank.
3. They ______________ hearing loud noises because
they live in the city centre.
4. There ________________ be a bakery in this street.
5. Mr and Mrs Mc Donald ___________ going to
Japan every year.
6. I ______________running 15 miles every day.
7. She____________ working with computers.
8. Paul ______________ play football.
9. Andrew____________ playing video games.
10. You ___________________studying English.

SPEAKING MY
UPBRINGING

Think about 6 childhood habits that have

either helped or hindered you as an adult,
write them down.

SPEAKING - REGARDING MY
UPBRINGING

I believe that....
To my mind....
I reckon that
point to
consider
reason
One
Important

disadvanta
ge

Another
(Important)

drawback

The most
important

problem

The second

Concern/
issue

A Further

considerati
on

The main

explanation

For this reason,

Is that...

Nowadays/At the
present time
I

can/cant
am able to / am not
able to
am good at/am bad at
developed the ability
to / didnt develop
the ability to

WORKBOOK. PG 11 EX 5 6 7