Home› Course› Level 1› Module 2: Present Continuous› Temporary Habits and Routines
1 Concept
Temporary Habits
📘 Module 2 — Present Continuous — Lesson 4 of 7

In Lesson 9, you learned that a normal, regular habit takes the Present Simple — "She takes the bus to work" describes what she always does. But sometimes a person does something regularly for a while, without it being their normal habit. It's a stand-in for their usual routine, not a new regular pattern.

The idea:

If a repeated action is true right now, but is different from what the person normally does, it is a temporary habit — and it needs the Present Continuous, not the Present Simple.
Watch out: this is not the same as a project in progress (Lesson 17) — there's no task with a beginning and an end here, just behavior repeated for a while. It's also not a regular habit (Lesson 9) — the person doesn't do this normally. And it has no annoyed tone — that's a different pattern you'll meet in the next lesson.
Quick recap of the form: subject + am / is / are + verb-ing. She is taking the train. He is sleeping on the couch. Nothing changes about the grammar — only about how long "temporary" can stretch.
2 Temporary, Not Regular
Examples of Temporary Habits

Picture someone's normal routine, then picture what they're doing instead, only for a limited stretch of time.

Temporary Habits
  • She is taking the train to work while her car is in the shop.
  • He is keeping his tools in the garage during the renovation.
  • They are eating dinner earlier this week.
  • She is wearing a cast on her arm for now.
  • We are drinking decaf this month.
In every example above, something is different from usual. Her normal habit might be driving, but this week she's taking the train instead — because her car is in the shop. The habit itself is temporary, even though it repeats every day this week.

These time expressions signal a temporary habit — they mark a limited stretch of time, not forever:

this week these days for now this month
You can also show the reason a habit is temporary with "while" or "during" — "while her car is in the shop," "during the renovation." This tells the reader why the habit is temporary, not just how long.
3 Correct Use
This Use in Everyday Sentences

Read each sentence and ask what the person's normal routine probably is — then notice how this is different.

  • My daughter is staying with her grandparents this week.
  • He is working from the coffee shop while his office is being renovated.
  • She is wearing glasses while her contacts are being replaced.
  • He is carrying an umbrella during the rainy season.
  • She is studying at the library this month.
Quick test: is this different from what the person normally does, and true only for a limited time right now? If yes, this is a temporary habit, and the Present Continuous is correct.
4 Common Mistake
Present Continuous, Not Present Simple

A habit that's true only for now is different from a habit that's always true. Normal, regular habits take the Present Simple (see Lesson 9). But a temporary substitute for the normal routine needs the Present Continuous.

✗ She takes the train to work this week.
✓ She is taking the train to work this week. Why: this is different from her normal routine, true only for this week.
✗ He sleeps on the couch during the renovation.
✓ He is sleeping on the couch during the renovation. Why: this is a temporary situation, not his normal habit.
✗ I walk to the office for now.
✓ I am walking to the office for now. Why: this is a stand-in for a normal routine, true only right now.
5 Practice
Try It Yourself
Exercise A — Regular Habit, or Temporary Habit?

Click "Regular" or "Temporary" for each sentence.

  • 1
    She is driving her sister's car this week.
    ✓ Correct — a stand-in while her own car isn't available, just for this week.
  • 2
    He is cooking dinner on a camping stove while his kitchen is being remodeled.
    ✓ Correct — his normal kitchen probably isn't working right now.
  • 3
    She drives her own car every day.
    ✓ Correct — a normal, regular habit, stated with the Present Simple.
  • 4
    They are watching TV in the basement during the living room renovation.
    ✓ Correct — a temporary change, probably because their usual room isn't available.
  • 5
    He cooks dinner every night at six.
    ✓ Correct — a normal, regular routine.
  • 6
    He is reading books on his phone while his e-reader is being repaired.
    ✓ Correct — probably true only until he replaces a lost or broken e-reader.
  • 7
    They watch the news every evening.
    ✓ Correct — their normal, regular evening routine.
  • 8
    He reads a physical newspaper every morning.
    ✓ Correct — his normal, regular morning habit.
Exercise B — Type the Correct Form

Type the correct Present Continuous verb phrase (am/is/are + -ing).

  • 1
    He his brother's laptop this week. (use)
  • 2
    She next to a different colleague while her desk is being moved. (sit)
  • 3
    They their car on the street while their driveway is fixed. (leave)
  • 4
    He the bus for now. (catch)
  • 5
    She her passport in a safe during the renovation. (keep)
  • 6
    He a different gym this month. (try)
  • 7
    She dishes by hand during the plumbing repair. (wash)
  • 8
    They with relatives for now. (live)
Exercise C — Correct or Incorrect?

Click your answer for each sentence.

  • 1
    She takes the bus this week because her car is in the shop.
    ✓ Correct — this is wrong. It should be "She is taking the bus this week."
  • 2
    They eat at the diner these days while their kitchen is being renovated.
    ✓ Correct — this is wrong. It should be "They are eating at the diner these days while their kitchen is being renovated."
  • 3
    He is sitting in a different office this month while his is being repainted.
    ✓ Correct — a temporary substitute for his usual office.
  • 4
    She is using her old phone until the new one arrives.
    ✓ Correct — a stand-in, only until the new phone arrives.
  • 5
    He wears his glasses for now instead of contacts.
    ✓ Correct — this is wrong. It should be "He is wearing his glasses for now."
  • 6
    They are staying at a hotel while their apartment is being painted.
    ✓ Correct — a temporary place to stay, not their normal home.
  • 7
    I walk to work this month because my car needs repairs.
    ✓ Correct — this is wrong. It should be "I am walking to work this month."
  • 8
    She is keeping her phone charger at work during the office move.
    ✓ Correct — a small, temporary change to her normal habit.
Exercise D — Negatives

Type the whole negative verb phrase — for example, "isn't taking," not just "isn't." The Present Continuous uses "be," so negatives are formed with isn't/aren't, not don't/doesn't.

  • 1
    She coffee this week. (drink)
  • 2
    He the highway this month. (use)
  • 3
    They much on groceries during the move. (spend)
  • 4
    She carbs during the holidays. (cut)
  • 5
    He with cash these days. (pay)
  • 6
    They meetings in the main office for now. (hold)
  • 7
    She to work during the road construction. (drive)
  • 8
    He in his own room while it is being repainted. (sleep)
Exercise E — Questions

Type the whole opening question phrase — for example, "Is she choosing," not just "Is." Follow the subject/verb hint given.

  • 1
    the bus over the car this week? (she / choose)
  • 2
    a uniform for now? (he / wear)
  • 3
    extra supplies during the storm season? (they / carry)
  • 4
    online while her classroom is being renovated? (she / study)
  • 5
    with friends while his apartment is being fumigated? (he / stay)
  • 6
    night shifts for now? (they / work)
  • 7
    the bus more often this month? (she / catch)
  • 8
    his clothes at the laundromat during the appliance repair? (he / wash)
6 Choose the Right Sentence
Apply What You Know

Read each question carefully. Select the sentence that matches the description.

Question 1 of 8
Select the correctly formed sentence.
Question 2 of 8
Select the sentence that describes a temporary habit, not a regular one.
Question 3 of 8
Select the best description of a "temporary habit."
Question 4 of 8
Select the correctly formed negative sentence.
Question 5 of 8
Select the correctly formed question.
Question 6 of 8
Select the sentence that would sound wrong to a native speaker in this context.
Question 7 of 8
Select the time expression most typical of this use.
Question 8 of 8
Select the best test for whether this use applies.
7 Summary
Temporary Habits and Routines A repeated action can be a habit right now, without being the person's normal, regular habit.
  • The idea: a temporary habit is different from the normal routine, true only for a limited time.
  • Watch out: this isn't a project in progress (no task with an end point) and it isn't annoyed or critical in tone — that pattern comes in the next lesson.
  • Common mistake: don't describe a temporary substitute as if it's the normal Present Simple habit — "She takes the train" is wrong; "She is taking the train" is right.
  • Typical time words: this week, these days, for now, this month — or a "while" or "during" phrase that gives the reason ("while her car is in the shop," "during the renovation").
  • Quick test: is this different from what the person normally does, and true only for now?
  • Next, you'll meet a related idea: repeated actions that annoy someone, using "always."
← Previous lesson Situations That Are Slowly Changing Next Repeated Actions Which Annoy →