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Present Habits
Look at this sample situation:
A conversation between two friends:
Emma: My brother will always leave his shoes in the middle of the hall.
Tom: Mine tends to do the same, but at least he keeps cleaning up afterwards.
Emma: I’m used to it now, but it annoyed me at first.
Tom: I’m getting used to my flatmate cooking late at night but I found it really hard at first; it used to wake me up!
You can see from these examples that:
Will can describe typical behaviour:
My brother will always leave his shoes in the middle of the hall.
Tend to shows something that usually happens:
Mine tends to do the same.
Keep + -ing highlights repeated actions, sometimes annoying:
He keeps cleaning up afterwards.
Be/get used to show that you have become or are becoming familiar with a situation:
I’m used to it now.
means I have become familiar with it and now I am accustomed to it but
I’m getting used to my flatmate cooking late at night.
means I'm still becoming familiar with it; the process of adapting is not fully finished yet.
Structure
Will for present habits
Affirmative: Subject + will + base verb
She will always forget her keys.
Negative: Subject + will not/won’t + base verb
He won’t listen to advice. (here describing a typical refusal)
Question: Will + subject + base verb
Will he always arrive late?
Note: This is not the future simple use of will, but a special use for present/frequent behaviour.
Tend to
Affirmative: Subject + tend(s) to + base verb
People tend to eat more in winter.
Negative: Subject + don't/doesn't tend to + base verb
He doesn't tend to complain.
Question: Do/does + subject + tend to + base verb?
Do you tend to stay up late?
Keep + ing
Affirmative: Subject + keep(s) + verb + ing
She keeps interrupting me during meetings.
Negative: Subject + don't/doesn't keep + verb + ing
They don't keep shouting anymore.
Question: Do/Does + subject + keep + verb + ing?
Does he keep arriving late?
Be used to
Affirmative: Be used to + verb + ing/noun
He’s used to getting up early.
I'm used to noisy places.
Negative: Be + not + used to + verb + ing/noun
I'm not used to (eating) spicy food.
Question: Am/is/are + subject + used to + verb + ing/noun?
Are you used to working long hours?
Get used to
Affirmative: Subject + get + used to + noun/verb + ing
He’s getting used to living in a big city.
Negative: Subject + auxiliary verb + not + get + used to + noun/verb + ing
I can't get used to the weather here.
Question: Auxiliary verb + subject + get + used to + noun/verb + ing?
Did you get used to your new timetable?
Note: These two uses of used to are different from used to for past habits. Compare:
I'm used to studying at night.
This describes an activity (studying at night) which I am familiar with/
accustomed to. Note that the verb to be is used (I'm) not just the subject (I) and that the verb (studying) is in the ing form but
I used to study at night.
describes a habit in the past; an activity (study at night) which I did often in the past but I no longer do now. Note that the verb to be is not used, just the subject (I) and that the verb (study) is in the infinitive form.
Meaning
These structures describe present habits and how we feel about them:
Will
Used to talk about typical behaviour or things people regularly do, often with an emotional reaction (annoyance, admiration, surprise).
He’ll always offer to help when someone is in trouble.
means he regularly does this; it’s part of his character.
She will keep losing her keys.
is a repeated action that the speaker finds irritating.
Tend to
Used for general tendencies or things that are usually true over time.
People tend to drink more water in summer.
is a general pattern or natural behaviour.
She tends not to talk much in meetings.
is typical of her but not constant behaviour.
Keep + -ing
Used for actions that happen repeatedly, often when the speaker finds them surprising or annoying.
He keeps texting me during class.
happens again and again, and maybe it is irritating.
They keep improving their performance.
is a repeated positive action.
Be / Get used to
Used to describe comfort with a situation or the process of becoming comfortable.
I’m used to living in a noisy city.
means I’m comfortable with it now.
I’m getting used to my new job.
means I’m in the process of adapting.
In the FCE exam
You may need to recognise or use these forms in different parts:
Reading and Use of English
In part 4 (key word transformations), you might have to transform using some of these structures:
It’s normal for me to eat dinner late.
USED
I _____________________________ dinner late.
Answer: am used to eating
Writing
Reviews/articles:
People tend to prefer fast service in cafés.
This café will always make you feel welcome.
Speaking
Part 1 Talking about present habits and routines:
I tend to watch series in the evening.
Parts 3/4 Giving opinions or reacting to others' views:
People will often forget to recycle unless reminded.