EnglishRoutines Then and Now
Say three sentences about your past and present routine.
I used to commute by bus, but now I work from home.
- commute by bus [/kəˈmjuːt baɪ bʌs/]
- travel to work or school on a bus
I used to commute by bus every morning. - work from home [/wɜːk frəm həʊm/]
- do your job at home
Now I work from home three days a week. - do the washing-up [/duː ðə ˈwɒʃɪŋ ʌp/]
- wash plates, cups, and cooking equipment
We used to do the washing-up together. - cook dinner [/kʊk ˈdɪnə/]
- prepare the evening meal
My dad would cook dinner on Fridays. - do the laundry [/duː ðə ˈlɔːndri/]
- wash clothes
I used to do the laundry on Saturday. - tidy the house [/ˈtaɪdi ðə haʊs/]
- make the home clean and organised
We would tidy the house before visitors arrived. - go shopping [/ɡəʊ ˈʃɒpɪŋ/]
- visit shops to buy things
My grandparents used to go shopping at the market. - take out the rubbish [/teɪk aʊt ðə ˈrʌbɪʃ/]
- carry rubbish outside for collection
My brother had to take out the rubbish. - set the table [/set ðə ˈteɪbəl/]
- put plates, cutlery, and glasses on the table
We would set the table before dinner. - look after children [/lʊk ˈɑːftə ˈtʃɪldrən/]
- care for children
My aunt used to look after children after school.
Choosing the Right Form
Choose the best form for each sentence.
- When I was at school, I [___] walk to school every day.
- On Sundays, my father [___] make pancakes for us.
- Last Saturday, we [___] the whole kitchen.
- My grandparents [___] own a television, but they have one now.
Complete each sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
- I enjoy [___] dinner for my family.
- We decided [___] the laundry after work.
- My parents made me [___] out the rubbish.
- They let the children [___] the table.
How Our Grandparents Lived
## How Our Grandparents Lived
My grandparents used to live in a small village near the sea. Every morning, Grandpa would cycle to the bakery before work. Grandma used to wash clothes by hand, and she would cook dinner for the whole family. Grandpa also had to repair the garden fence after work. Grandma made the children help with the dishes. They did not have smartphones or online shopping, so neighbours visited each other more often. However, some things stayed the same. They enjoyed spending time together, avoided wasting food, and wanted to give their children a good education. On Sundays, the family would meet for lunch and talk about the week. Today, we still value family meals, but our routines are faster and more digital.
- What are two ways daily life was different for the grandparents?
- Which family values or routines stayed the same?
- Find one example of used to and one example of would. What does each one describe?
Difficult words
- village — a small town in the countryside
- bakery — a shop that makes and sells bread and cakes
- repair — fix something that is broken
- fence — a barrier around a garden or property
- neighbours — people who live near you
- avoided — chose not to do something
- wasting food — throwing away or using food carelessly
- value — consider something important
Your Past Habits
Write 40–80 words about three habits you used to have but gave up. Explain why you stopped. Include:
- three former habits
- at least two household, study, travel, or daily-routine habits
- one sentence about your routine now
- because for a reason
Useful phrases:
- I used to ___, but I stopped because ___.
- When I was younger, I used to ___.
- I no longer ___ because ___.
- Now I usually ___.
- These days, I enjoy ___.
- I decided to ___ because ___.
