Thursday, September 1, 2016

Grammar #3: Past habit (due Monday, 9/5)

Today in class I told you about my nighttime ritual when I was a kid, remember? How my mother used to tuck me into bed and tell me a special story?

Then we heard Maz Jobrani tell us what he used to do when he was a kid and how he used to feel when his father would come get him from the park.

For this post, I want you to tell us about something that you used to do when you were a kid. I do not want one sentence. I want a good explanation so we can really experience what you experienced :)

Remember: We can use USED TO + SV to express past habit.
               We can also use WOULD + SV to express past habit.

However, we cannot use WOULD + SV to express activities that didn't repeat in the past.
For example, I can say I USED TO LIVE IN NEW YORK or I USED TO WORK AT RICE UNIVERSITY but I cannot say I WOULD LIVE IN NEW YORK or I WOULD WORK AT RICE because that does not express a past habit (a habit is an action that repeats).

31 comments:

  1. I have a happy childhood memory. When I was a kid, my father used to work in the other city. My mother had to look after kids herself. So she used to live with my brother and sister in our house. I was the youngest one in my family. I was used to live with my grandmother and my uncle. They loved me so much and were very kind of me. My uncle used to braid my hair into different style every morning. It was very cute and beautiful. I can't forget so far. My grandmother used to teach me to do many things everyday. Such as feeding the hens, trimming vegetables for cooking, making dumplings, buying daily necessities myself, and so on. SO I used to help her do some housework. Wherever she was, I always wanted to be with her just like she has a small tail. Now when I recall that happy time, I wish my grandmother were still alive. I wish she would stay with me forever.

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    Replies
    1. Dongmei, it seems that you have very fond memories of the time that you USED TO LIVE with your extended family. Nice work.

      Delete
  2. When I was 11 years old, I used to play piano whenever I could. Playing piano could not only help me to express my feeling but also make me relaxed. I used to play piano before bed time so I could sleep easier. When I turned 17, I used to go to the charity-school in the weekend to play piano for the poor children. I kept my habit until I was 18 years old when I was in the last grade of high school. It was an important level in my country as we had to spend most of our time studying to get a spot in the university. I hope that in the future I can buy another piano in the US to continue my habit.

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    1. Playing piano is not a habit--its a hobby.

      Good grammar.

      Delete
  3. When I was a child, I would liked to swim so much. My mom usually used to buy me a swimsuit. I always excited when my mom used to buy me a new one. My mom used to take me to water park when she had a free time. I used to swim moreover 2 hours every time. After I swam, my mom usually used to bring me a good dinner. I used to feel very great when my mom spends lots of time with me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I USED TO LIKE to swim.

      Don't use "usually" with used to, just "used to." If you want to say "usually," use "would."
      Ex. My mom would usually bring me dinner after swimming.

      I used to feel great when my mom WOULD spend time with me.

      Delete
  4. My family used to live close to the pacific ocean, our house was about 400 feet of the beach, and my Father was a carpenter of wooden boat, in that time that profession was well paid, My older brother and me used to fish a lot. I remember when I was about 5 year old, I went to fish by myself, because my brother was not home, and I began to pull string line, after a few minutes, I caught a big fish, but the fish was very strong, I pull and the fish pull too, and I yelled, "help" and a worker saw me, and he quickly ran to help me, we got the fish out of the water, and He help me to took it to my home, my whole family ate fish for two days, and we gave same fish to the worker too

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    1. My older brother and I used to fish a lot

      I PULLED and the fish PULLED too
      and he HELPED me

      Nice story!

      Delete
  5. When I was a kid I was naughty. I always used to run up the mountain with my friends. In the mountain we baked sweet potato, we climbed a tree picking fruit,we catched insects....these things were my wonderful childhood.Y(^_^)Y

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  6. when i was a kid, i used to have friends down the street and we all go to the same lesson together,childhood life in west Africa is different and is fun fill. Their is maximum freedom anytime my parents are off to work, i used to dance in the rain, i used to roll motor cycles tires around the street, My brother used to eat my fish and meat in exchange of birds and rabbit because i love to have them as my pet, my brothers used to take a lot of my advantage when i was a kid because i couldn't get every thing i want by my self. in the night my mother used to bath me with hot water and take care of my wounds,she used to tell us stories and its always tortoise.. when i'm sick my mom used to back me all day and check on me every minutes.i used to take my mom sewing thread to fly kites my brother made for me. i used to save money to buy ice creams from our neighbor. This are my childhood memories

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    1. my brothers used to take advantage of me...

      very good use of "used to."

      Delete
  7. When I was about six years old, I used to like running anytime, everywhere. One day, my grandmother said, she went to a big market with me, she had to hold my hand whole time. Because, if she missed my hand, I run the whole market and she would chase me with shouting my name. She scared if she would miss me in the market.
    I used to love eating the salt thogh. So, she would hide the salt case on the high place. She passed away already, I miss her so much.

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    1. She USED TO GET scared that she would lose me in the market.

      Good use of "used to" and "would."

      Delete
  8. When I was a child, my mother used to take me to church every Sunday. I remember she used to fix my hair and pick my clothe so I can look pretty. My brothers and I used to ask my mom for some money so we can give to the church, I felt really happy because I was helping someone in need. Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and live those memories again.

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    1. I think the church is still there ;)

      Well written.

      Delete
  9. When I was 13 years old , I used to ride my bike . I really enjoyed by riding a bicycle. I went with that every where that I want . Sometimes my parents sent me to grocery store to buy something, and I was joyful when I left my home with bicycle. Our home was very close to everywhere , to park ,to museum,to mosque and my best friend's house . As I wrote, I had a best time as soon as I rode my bike .

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    1. Sometimes my parents WOULD SEND me to the grocery store (but SENT is also correct) and I WOULD BE joyful...

      good work

      Delete
  10. I remember when I was in high school. Every weekend, I used to go to the temple and help people there. Whenever my friends and I got there, we were very excited and had a good time. The monk could cook many vegetarian foods, and he used to share the recipe to us. After cooking foods, we brought them to downtown to give to homeless people. By this activity, we felt happy, blessed, and thankful for everything we had done. After I graduated from high school, I didn’t have much time as before. I missed the old time when I used to go there every week. Overall, I wish I could have flexible time as same as I was in high school.

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    1. ...we WOULD BE very excited and HAVE a good time...

      After he cooked the foods, we WOULD BRING them downtown... we WOULD FEEL happy...

      good work

      Delete
  11. when I was a kid, I was tumultuous. I used to go out most the time with my friend. We used to take a taxi to games and jump off the fence. We used to rent a chalet and play soccer, swim, volley ball and a lot of things. It was a great moment.

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    1. "tumultuous" is not the right word; perhaps you mean "wild."

      It was a great moment--> Those were great times.

      Good "used to."

      Delete
  12. During my childhood I used to ride a horse called Bonnie. I used to take classes at a Horse Riding School. After a year I would train in jumping horses competition. I used to prepare my horse for the competition. Went to the jump area to recognize the jump path. And also walked around the place with the horse. Then prepared myself to jump the fence. I used to practice this activity until the equine bucked me up. I hurt my back with the coup so, I didn’t use to ride my horse anymore. It was a great experience in my life.

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    1. After a year I TRAINED for competitions (simple past, not past habit). I WOULD GO to the jumping area...and I WOULD WALK around with the horse... Then I WOULD PREPARE myself... so I STOPPED riding my horse (simple past, not past habit).

      Oh my! So scary!

      Delete
  13. There was a moment that I cannot forget in my pre-primary school , my parents always drop me at the front gate of the kindergarten while the other kids had their parents to lead them to the class. In stead of feeling lonely, hurt or self-pity, i felt comfortable, grown up and statelier than the other kids. That's why i always feel that i am older than my age, early grown up in my mind, and not be shame about my over-aged look.

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  14. There are a plenty of habits that I had when I was a little kid. Some were good and some were pretty bad or maybe just a little bit unhealthy. One of my most common habit was that I used to close the fridge door closely and carefully watch the light inside it turning off. My mother usually complained this habit of mine because as she said, it was a waste of electricity. My mom is really economical and environmental. Another funny habit that usually got me ambiguous was that I used to count all the transportation passing by me on the street. Meanwhile my father drives me to school, I used to count aloud and praised my self to him that I was really good at counting. My childhood was full of many beautiful memories and humorous stories. Without those funny habits, my childhood wouldn't be completed.

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    1. These were certainly the most interesting past habits in the entire class! I laughed about the fridge light.

      Good grammar.

      Delete
  15. When I was a child my family and I used to have a routine Saturdays in the mornings we used to wake up late, and then had lunch together while watching tv and, in the evening we ate roast beef (or mexican BBQ) and my cousins and uncles used to go to eat with us, this is a routine weekend I used to do with my family and I hope to do this again soon.

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  16. When I was a child I used to go to grandmother’s apartment after school. There, she used to help with my homework and she would teach me the good thing to grow very well. Also, I used to play with the neighbor’s daughter. We would love to eat ice cream and watch cartoons. My dad and mom used to pick up me at 9 pm.

    I apologize for the delayed.

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  17. I have a very happy childhood. I used to have a friend when I was in elementary school. We were classmate, and we were neighborhood, too. We used to go to school together , study together. Almost every day after school, we went home to eat and very fast, because we want to play. We used to play rubber band skipping after had a quick meal, or play the game of go and so on. But we used to fight ,too. Because we were kids. But next day, we were good friend again. We used to stay together about 6 years until we went to the middle school. I'm so glad we used to a good friend, good childhood partner for each other.

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