Continued Exploration of Past Habits

This page continues the discussion on past habits, focusing on the use of "would + infinitive" for expressing recurring actions in the past.

The guide emphasizes that "would + infinitive" is used specifically for describing typical behaviors or actions of a person in the past, but not for states.

Example: "Our English teacher would give us loads of homework."

Highlight: It's important to note the distinction between "used to" and "would" in expressing past habits. While both can describe recurring past actions, "used to" can also describe past states, whereas "would" is limited to actions.

This structure is particularly useful for narrating past events and describing someone's characteristic behaviors in storytelling or recounting memories.

Vocabulary: Bezokolicznik - This Polish term refers to the infinitive form of a verb in English, which is the base form of the verb preceded by "to" (e.g., "to give," "to watch").

The concise nature of this page suggests that it serves as a continuation or reinforcement of the concepts introduced on the previous page, providing additional examples and emphasizing key points about expressing past habits in English.

Present and Past Habits in English

This page outlines the various tenses and structures used to express habitual actions and states in both present and past contexts in English.

Present Habits

The guide explains three main ways to express present habits:

1. Present Simple: Used for current recurring actions or states.

Example: "When I get home, I practise the violin."

2. Present Continuous + always: Expresses constantly recurring behaviors that may cause irritation.

Example: "She's always putting things off."

3. Will + Infinitive: Describes typical present behaviors or actions (not states) characteristic of a person.

Example: "She will watch TV or play games all day."

Past Habits

The page then transitions to discussing past habits, presenting four structures:

1. Past Simple: Used for actions, states, or habits that repeated in the past.

Example: "My father picked me up from school until I was nine."

2. Past Continuous + always: Expresses constant, recurring behaviors in the past that caused irritation.

Example: "She was always putting things off."

3. Used to + Infinitive: Describes states or actions that repeated in the past, never for one-time events.

Example: "I didn't use to fall behind with my schoolwork."

Highlight: The structure "used to" is particularly important for expressing past habits that no longer occur.

4. Would + Infinitive: Expresses recurring, typical behaviors or actions (not states) of a person in the past.

Example: "Our English teacher would give us loads of homework."

This comprehensive overview provides students with a clear understanding of how to express habits across different time frames in English, enhancing their ability to describe recurring actions and states accurately.