The present habitual is one of the uses of the present tense in the indicative mood, which aims to express habits, routines or other actions that are carried out repeatedly over time.
It is also used for actions that are rarely performed or often forgotten.
For example:
Every day I brush my teeth.
I never know where I leave the house keys.
The present habitual tense is usually accompanied by adverbs of frequency, such as:
- forever
- never
- everyday
- rarely
- rarely
- frequently
- frequently
- once a day
- twice a month
- every day sometimes
- sometimes, often, sometimes
- every time
- every day
- biweekly
- as usual
- usually
Likewise, there are some verbs that express habits and repetition without the need to be accompanied by an adverb of frequency, such as soler and accustom.
For example:
The child usually goes to school.
I don't usually eat dairy.
Examples of present habitual
1- “ When my work day is over, and I have closed my notebook, hidden my pen, and made some holes in my rented canoe so that it cannot be found, I often like to spend the afternoon chatting with some of my surviving friends. Sometimes we talk about literature. Sometimes we talk about the people who are trying to destroy us, and if there is any hope of escaping from them. And sometimes we talk about the terrifying and annoying animals that can be found in the vicinity.
"The carnivorous carnival" by Lemony Snicket.
2- "Asdic is nothing more than the British acronym for what the Yankees call sound, but every time that word is pronounced in the presence of Alan, he adopts a mischievous expression and begins to cry with laughter."
"Kryptonomicon I: The Enigma Code" by Neal Stephenson.
3- Very rarely does someone who knows what they are looking for go to the Wall, and sometimes these people are allowed to pass. They have a certain look that, once recognized, can never be forgotten ”.
"Stardust: Stardust" by Neil Gaiman.
4- “ In general, I usually have chemicals on hand, and from time to time I carry out experiments. Would that be a nuisance to you? "
"A Study in Scarlet" by Arthur Conan Doyle.
5- “ Sometimes I get over it, other times I don't get it, but I am always far from reaching my dream. The human form that I now obtain with relative ease is agile and graceful, or corpulent and strong, but I usually have problems with my hands and claws, very painful parts that I don't dare to model freely ”.
"The Island of Doctor Moreau" by HG Wells.
6- “The path got steeper and steeper and the cane was a great help. It also served as a conversation partner. After all, older people tend to talk to themselves. "
"Howl's Moving Castle" by Diana Wayne.
7- “When one listens to a piece of classical music, it is usually entertaining to try to guess what the musician was inspired by to write those particular notes. Sometimes the composer is inspired by nature and composes a symphony that imitates the trills of birds and the noises of trees. Other times, a composer is inspired by the city and composes a concert that imitates the sounds of traffic and sidewalks ”.
"A Series of Unfortunate Events: A Very Spartan Academy" by Lemony Snicket.
8- "When I receive my data from humans, sometimes my rational conclusions are incorrect, since they are based on false premises."
"Children of the Mind" by Orson Scott Card.
9- “In the Barrikadnaya we have wooden beds that we have made ourselves, you know? Sometimes I have to sleep on the floor, on rags. But I don't care. 'Mikhail Porfiryevich pointed to his chest. What matters is inside us, and not outside ”.
"Metro 2033" by Dmitri Glukhovsky.
10- “-Moths and all sorts of unpleasant animals -answered Estella, giving him a glance- usually flutter around a lit candle. Can the spark plug prevent it?
"Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens.
11- “I had never met anyone more interesting. He usually has an exalted expression, like madness, in his eyes. But there are times when, if someone shows him any attention or gives him the slightest service, his fas is illuminated with a benevolence and tenderness that I have not seen in another man "
"Frankenstein or the modern Prometheus" by Mary Shelley.
12- "… people murmured, as is usually done while waiting for a funeral or wedding to begin."
"The Hall of Death" by Stephen King.
13- “-How many hours do you usually sleep, on average, each night? -the gray man continued inquiring.
"Momo" by Michael Ende.
14- " Every day he dedicates a whole hour to the good lady, which means that he sits with her and talks to her, even though she is so deaf that she can barely hear him."
"Momo" by Michael Ende.
15- “We also know that he goes to the movies once a week, that once a week he sings in a choir, that he has a group of friends, with whom he meets twice a week and that sometimes he even reads a book ”.
"Momo" by Michael Ende.
16- “Courting is difficult when the courted person has an elderly relative at home; they often murmur, laugh slyly… "
"Good omens" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.
17- " I'm usually outside sweeping the hallway and I can see who has entered."
"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey.
18- " People our age do not usually drink coffee."
"All the wrong questions: Who can it be at this hour?" by Lemony Snicket.
19- “Sure, dear, I assure you that it will be. Mary always gets her way. "
"Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen.
20- "In some media people always believe the opposite of what you tell them."
"Trainspotting" by Irvine Welsh.
References
- Definition and examples of the usual present tense. Retrieved on June 13, 2017, from thoughtco.com.
- Usual aspect. Retrieved on June 13, 2017, from wikipedia.org.
- Present simple for the present habits and states. Retrieved on June 13, 2017, from grammaring.com.
- Habitual actions. Retrieved on June 13, 2017, from grammaring.com.
- Present continous tense for habitual or regular actiosn. Retrieved on June 13, 2017, from englishforums.com.
- Simple present tense. Retrieved on June 13, 2017, from grammar.ccc.commnet.edu.
- Habitual actions. Retrieved on June 13, 2017, from fluenciysteps.blogspot.com.