What are the modals that used to express a past habit?

You're right, there's no single modal verb that specifically expresses a past habit. Instead, we use combinations of auxiliary verbs and other words to express this idea. Here are the most common ways to express a past habit:

1. Used to + base verb:

This is the most common way to express a past habit.

* Example: "I used to play tennis every weekend."

2. Would + base verb:

This is another common way to express a past habit, especially when talking about repeated actions or regular occurrences.

* Example: "We would go for walks in the park every afternoon."

3. Past Simple with adverbs of frequency:

You can also use the past simple tense with adverbs of frequency like *always*, *often*, *usually*, *sometimes*, *rarely*, *never* to express past habits.

* Example: "He always played the piano after dinner."

Important Note:

* "Used to" is more common for habits that have stopped, while "would" can be used for habits that have stopped or are still ongoing.

* When talking about a past habit that happened in a specific period of time, you can use the past continuous with adverbs of frequency:

* Example: "She was always going to the cinema during her summer holidays."

Let me know if you'd like more examples or have any other questions!