[Idiom] 'out of habit'

[Ferdie11]

Hi,

Can you please tell me what the phrase 'out of habit' in the sentence below.

B: "Do you smoke cause your bored?"
A: "Yeah. It helps to kill the time. I also think it's out of habit. I'm so used to having a cigarette every now and then."


Many thanks.

 

[shroob]

Not a teacher but a native speaker.

The phrase means to do something simply because you are used to doing it, for no other reason. So in your example the person is smoking partly because they are used to doing so (as they admit in the last sentence).

A habit is a pattern of behaviour or trait you have aquired eg. biting your nails or smoking.

For example if it had been raining for a month solid, you would put on your coat, however when it stopped raining and you put on your coat, you would be doing it 'out of habit' because you had become acustomed to doing so.

Hope this helps, let me know if you need any clarification on anything.

 

[emsr2d2]

Hi,

Can you please tell me what the phrase 'out of habit' in the sentence below.

B: "Do you smoke cause you're bored?"
A: "Yeah. It helps to kill the time. I also think it's out of habit. I'm so used to having a cigarette every now and then."


Many thanks.

The previous poster explained the meaning well. Note my correction to "your" = should be "you're" (you are).

Also, I'm sure you know that "cause" should only be used when reporting direct speech and it really is what the speaker said. "Cause", "cos", "cuz" are all informal contractions of "because".

 

[Ferdie11]

Not a teacher but a native speaker.

The phrase means to do something simply because you are used to doing it, for no other reason. So in your example the person is smoking partly because they are used to doing so (as they admit in the last sentence).

A habit is a pattern of behaviour or trait you have aquired eg. biting your nails or smoking.

For example if it had been raining for a month solid, you would put on your coat, however when it stopped raining and you put on your coat, you would be doing it 'out of habit' because you had become acustomed to doing so.

Hope this helps, let me know if you need any clarification on anything.

Thanks, shroob. I think you answered the question clearly.