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A2Conversation lesson · Daily life & routines

Talking About Routines

Interview a partner about how their routines have changed.

Name:

Date:

Part 1

Warm-up

Ask and answer. Give one extra detail each time.

What time do you usually get up on weekdays?
Do you eat breakfast every day?
Which meal of the day is your favorite?
Do you eat at the same times on weekends?

Part 2

Words to know

Complete the sentences. Use the words in the box.

brunchhabithangrymissregularroutine
  1. Biting your nails is a bad ______.
  2. My morning ______ is the same every day: shower, coffee, bus.
  3. ______ is breakfast + lunch: a big, late meal.
  4. When I don't eat, I feel hungry + angry. I'm ______!
  5. I woke up late, so I had to ______ breakfast.
  6. Doctors say ______ meal times are good for you.
Brunch and hangry are two words put together. Do you know any others?

Part 3

Watch

Scan to watch

Real Easy English: Talking about routines

BBC Learning English · Beth and Neil · about 6 minutes

First watch: number the topics in the order you hear them.

  • awhat time they have lunch
  • bbrunch at university
  • cthe difference between a habit and a routine
  • dmissing breakfast when they were young
  • ewhat they eat for breakfast
  • fa word for hungry and angry

Second watch: who says it? Write B (Beth) or N (Neil).

BethNeilWrite B or N.
  1. I have breakfast at six every morning.
  2. I usually eat porridge for breakfast.
  3. Most days, I have some fruit: a banana and an apple.
  4. I usually have cereal or toast.
  5. Twelve o'clock is too early for lunch.
  6. I know a word for feeling hungry and angry.
  7. I had brunch with friends nearly every day at university.
  8. As a teenager, I slept a lot and got up very late.

Part 4

Then and now

FormUseExample
used to + verba past habit or state, not true nowI used to live in a small town.
didn't use to + verbnegativeI didn't use to like coffee.
Did you use to + verb?questionDid you use to walk to school?
would + verba repeated past actionOn Sundays, we would visit my grandma.

Use would only for actions you did again and again. For states (live, have, like, be), use used to.

Watch out

  • I use to play soccer every day.I used to play soccer every day.
  • I didn't used to eat fish.I didn't use to eat fish.
  • When I was a kid, I would have a dog.When I was a kid, I used to have a dog.

Complete the sentences with the verb in brackets and used to, didn't use to or would.

  1. I ______ (live) near the ocean. Now I live in the mountains.
  2. ______ you ______ (eat) breakfast as a teenager?
  3. I ______ (like) vegetables, but now I love them.
  4. At college, my friends and I ______ (meet) at a café every Friday.
  5. My grandpa ______ (wake up) at five o'clock every morning.
  6. She ______ (have) long hair, but she cut it last year.

Write three sentences about your routines when you were a child. Use used to, didn't use to and would.

Part 5

Say it smoothly

Used to and use to sound the same in fast speech: "yoos-ta". Listen for did or didn't to hear if it's a question or a negative.

Listen to your teacher. Say each line three times.

Highlighted = stressed words · ‿ = words that join together

  1. I used‿to have brunch every Saturday.
  2. Did‿you use‿to miss breakfast?
  3. I didn't use‿to like coffee.
  4. We would meet at a café after class.
  5. What time do‿you usually have lunch?
  1. 1Play the video from the brunch part.
  2. 2Pause after a line with used to or would.
  3. 3Say the line with the speaker, at the same speed.
  4. 4Change it to a true sentence about you.
Say the lines again. Change one or two words to make them true for you.

Part 6

Routine interview

Read your card. Do the interview for four or five minutes. Then swap cards.

A: Writer

You write for a website about how people's routines change. Interview your partner.

  • Ask what time they eat their meals now.
  • Ask what they used to eat for breakfast as a child.
  • Ask if they ever miss meals, and when.
  • Ask what they would do every weekend as a teenager.
  • At the end, tell them the most interesting thing you heard.

B: Guest

A writer wants to know how your routines have changed since you were young. Answer with real details.

  • Describe a normal weekday for you now.
  • Use used to and would when you talk about the past.
  • Name one old routine you miss and one you're happy to stop.
  • Ask the writer one question about their routine.

Asking about the past

  • Did you use to…?
  • When you were a kid, what did you…?
  • What would you do on…?

Comparing then and now

  • I used to…, but now I…
  • I didn't use to…
  • These days, I usually…
  • That's changed a lot!

Can you…?

  • explain the difference between a habit and a routine
  • say what time you usually eat your meals
  • use used to and would for past habits
  • interview a partner about their routines then and now

For the teacher

Answer key

Part 2

  1. habit
  2. routine
  3. brunch
  4. hangry
  5. miss
  6. regular

Part 3: first watch

1 c · 2 e · 3 a · 4 f · 5 b · 6 d

Part 3: second watch

1 N · 2 B · 3 B · 4 N · 5 N · 6 B · 7 B · 8 N

Part 4: practice

  1. used to live
  2. Did … use to eat
  3. didn't use to like
  4. used to meet (or would meet)
  5. used to wake up (or would wake up)
  6. used to have

ribbitpond.com/esl-lessons · Video by BBC Learning English. Worksheet by Ribbit Pond.