Unit 4 · Media & Information · Lesson 18
Scrolling Culture
Learn the language of feeds, algorithms and attention. Practise talking about your own habits so you can discuss digital life at B2 level without clichés.
Warm-up · §1
5 minGet talking
What's the first app you open in the morning — and how do you feel about that?
What does your feed think you like? Is it right about you?
How many hours do you think you spent on your phone yesterday? How close is that to the real number?
Grammar focus · §2
8–10 minTalking about habits — used to / would / get used to
Quick rule
PAST habit = 'used to'. STORY-STYLE repeated action = 'would'. HABIT NOW that's normal = 'be/get used to + -ing'.
Pattern builder
Past habit / state
used to + infinitive
e.g. I used to read every night.
Past repeated action
would + infinitive (not with states)
e.g. Every summer we would go to the coast.
Accustomed to
be used to + noun / -ing
e.g. I'm used to the noise.
Becoming accustomed
get used to + noun / -ing
e.g. I'm getting used to the new schedule.
Negative past habit
didn't use to + infinitive
e.g. I didn't use to check my phone at dinner.
Compare
| Structure | Meaning | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| I used to read. | Past habit — I don't anymore. | 'used to' + infinitive. |
| I would read for hours. | Repeated past action — story-telling. | Not with states (❌ I would be tall). |
| I'm used to reading. | I'm accustomed to it now. | 'be used to' + -ing / noun. |
Examples
- →
I used to read a book every night. (past habit, not anymore)
- →
As a kid, I would read for hours after school. (repeated past action)
- →
I'm used to reading on a screen now. (I'm accustomed to it)
- →
I'm getting used to reading on a screen. (it's becoming normal)
- →
I didn't use to check my phone at dinner. (negative — 'didn't use to')
Common mistakes
I use to read every night.
✓ I used to read every night.
Past habit needs 'used' (past form).
I'm used to read on a screen.
✓ I'm used to reading on a screen.
'be used to' + -ing, not infinitive.
I didn't used to check my phone.
✓ I didn't use to check my phone.
After 'didn't', use base form: 'use to'.
Natural English
'Be used to' + -ing is one of the highest-value B2 upgrades — it moves you from 'I check my phone a lot' to 'I'm used to checking my phone constantly, which I'm not proud of.'
Deep dive (full explanation)
Three closely related structures cause most B2 confusion: 'used to + infinitive' (past habit, no longer true), 'would + infinitive' (repeated past action — stories, not states), and 'be/get used to + noun / -ing' (be accustomed to something). The trap: 'used to' and 'be used to' look identical but mean different things.
Question 1.I ___ read a book every night. (past habit, not anymore)
Question 2.I'm used to ___ on a screen.
Question 3.Correct negative:
Question 4.Which is odd with 'would'?
Question 5.I'm ___ used to the new schedule — it's easier every week.
Build the sentence → spot the natural chunks → say it aloud → reply like a real conversation.
1.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
2.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
3.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
Quick check 1.I ___ read a book every night. (past habit, not anymore)
Quick check 2.I'm used to ___ on a screen.
Vocabulary · §3
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
a feed
the stream of posts your app shows you.
an algorithm
the code that decides what you see next.
to scroll
to move through content on a phone screen.
doom-scrolling
endless scrolling through bad news.
attention span
how long you can focus on one thing.
screen time
the amount of time you spend on a device.
to post
to publish content online.
a notification
an alert from an app.
to unfollow
to stop seeing someone's posts.
an echo chamber
a space where you only hear opinions like your own.
screen fatigue
tiredness caused by too much screen use.
to log off
to disconnect from a platform.
Activate it now
Talk about your own habits — not general ones.
- Make it yours#1
Describe one recent doom-scrolling session. What triggered it? Use 'doom-scrolling' and 'notification'.
doom-scrollinga notification - Your view#2
Is your feed an echo chamber? How would you know?
a feedan echo chamberan algorithm - Complete#3
Finish: 'My attention span has ___ since I ___ .'
attention span - Rank#4
Rank your worst screen habits: doom-scrolling, checking at dinner, phone in bed, notifications on. Which one would you fix first?
screen timedoom-scrolling - Discuss#5
When did you last unfollow someone — and why?
to unfollow
Pronunciation · §4
3–4 minWeak 'to' in 'used to'
'Used to' compresses to 'YOOS-tə' in fast speech. Native speakers rarely say 'YOOSED TOO'. Same in 'have to' → 'HAF-tə' and 'want to' → 'WON-nə'. Practising the weak form makes you sound years more fluent.
- I YOOS-tə read every night
- I'm YOOSED-tə reading on a screen
- I didn't YOOS-tə check my phone
- I'm getting YOOSED-tə the new app
Reading · §5
8–10 minI Deleted Instagram for a Month. Here's What Nobody Told Me.
Listen to the passage
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
I didn't delete Instagram for my mental health. I deleted it because my thumb was moving toward the icon before I'd even decided to open it, and that felt like a small defeat. The first three days were the hardest. I would reach for my phone at every quiet moment — waiting for the kettle, in the lift, on the toilet — and find nothing to fill the silence. I used to think I opened Instagram because I was bored. It turned out I opened it because I hated being unstimulated for even fifteen seconds. By week two, my attention span noticeably improved. I read a whole magazine article without checking anything. That sounds trivial, but I hadn't done it in months. What nobody had warned me about was the social cost. Two friends thought I'd unfollowed them personally. A colleague missed my birthday because it wasn't in the app anymore. The world hadn't stopped, but a thin layer of it had gone quiet. After a month, I reinstalled the app — but with notifications off, my feed cleaned up, and a firm rule: not before I've had breakfast, not in bed. Two weeks in, I'm getting used to it. Not perfect, but honest.
Question 1.Why did the writer delete Instagram?
Question 2.What did she realise about her scrolling?
Question 3.What was the 'social cost'?
Question 4.What are her new rules?
Q1.The writer originally deleted the app for mental-health reasons.
Q2.Her attention span improved by week two.
Q3.She permanently gave up Instagram.
Listening · §6
8–10 minTwo colleagues talking about screen habits (about 1:30)
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Kai:I saw my screen time report yesterday. Six hours a day. I nearly cried.
Nora:Ha. What's the worst offender — the feed?
Kai:Doom-scrolling news, mostly. I used to check it twice a day. Now it's every twenty minutes.
Nora:You'd need to turn off notifications first. That's what did it for me. I'm getting used to the silence.
Kai:Really? Doesn't it feel like you're missing something?
Nora:At first, yes. Now I actually get to the end of a paragraph. My attention span didn't used to be this bad.
Kai:Same. I've unfollowed most news accounts, but the algorithm just keeps pushing more.
Nora:Try logging off for the weekend. One weekend. You'll survive.
Question 1.What is Kai's daily screen time?
Question 2.What is Kai's main habit?
Question 3.What worked for Nora?
Question 4.What does Nora suggest for Kai?
Exam skills · §7
5 minStrategy focus — 'Then vs Now' comparisons in Speaking Part 2
Task
B2 speaking often asks you to describe how a habit has changed. Learners who stay in the present ('I use my phone a lot') score lower than those who compare then and now.
Strategy
Use 'I used to…' for the OLD habit, 'I'm used to / getting used to…' for the NEW normal, and one clear reason for the shift. That three-part structure is a B2 default answer for any 'how has your life changed' prompt.
Example
I used to read a real book before bed every night. Now I scroll on my phone until I fall asleep. I'm slowly getting used to switching the phone off at ten, mostly because my attention span has taken a real hit.
Practice · §8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Question 1.I ___ read every night. Now I scroll.
Question 2.I'm used to ___ on a screen.
Question 3.I ___ check my phone at dinner. Bad habit.
Question 4.I'm ___ used to the new app.
Question 5.Turn off ___ if you want fewer distractions.
Question 6.My ___ span is shorter than it used to be.
Q1.'I ___ read before bed.' (past habit)
Q2.'I'm ___ to reading on a screen.'
Q3.'I'm getting ___ to the new schedule.'
Writing · §9
5 minPut it in writing
Your task
Write a 130–170 word blog post titled 'My Screen Habits: Then vs Now'. Use at least: two 'used to' forms, one 'be/get used to + -ing', and four unit-vocabulary items (feed, algorithm, notification, attention span, screen time, doom-scrolling, unfollow).
Your answer
Show model answer
My Screen Habits: Then vs Now A year ago, I used to open Instagram before I even got out of bed. My first images of the day weren't sunlight — they were strangers' brunches. I didn't use to think that was strange. My screen time was almost seven hours, and my attention span had quietly collapsed. I'd start an article, feel a notification pull, and give up on the paragraph. The algorithm had learned exactly which stories would make me doom-scroll for another twenty minutes. I didn't delete the apps. I just turned every notification off, unfollowed anything that made me feel worse, and put my phone on the other side of the room at night. I'm slowly getting used to a quieter feed. My screen time is down to about three hours. I still scroll, but I usually decide to — instead of finding my thumb already on the icon. That small shift feels like the real win.
Speaking · §10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
ROLEPLAY — Screen Habits Audit. Your partner (or teacher) asks: 'How have your phone habits changed?' Answer for 60–90 seconds using one 'used to', one 'didn't use to' and one 'be/get used to + -ing'. Then swap.
Useful phrases
- • I used to…
- • I didn't use to…
- • I'm used to…
- • I'm getting used to…
- • My attention span has…
- • The algorithm keeps pushing…
- • I've turned off notifications.
- • I've unfollowed…
- FriendHow's the phone situation?
- You_______________
- FriendIs the silence weird?
- You_______________
- FriendWould you recommend it?
- You_______________
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Optional teacher-led activities. ~25 min total
Homework · §11
Take-homeTake it home
Write the 150-word 'Then vs Now' blog post above about your own screen habits.
Record a 90-second voice note comparing your phone habits five years ago and now.
Write true sentences for: feed, algorithm, notification, attention span, doom-scrolling, echo chamber, screen fatigue, log off.
Find a 3-minute talk about digital wellbeing. Note two 'used to' expressions you hear.
Recap · §12
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- You can use 'used to' for past habits that aren't true anymore.
- You can use 'would' for repeated past actions in stories.
- You can use 'be / get used to + -ing' for present accustomed habits.
- You can describe your social-media habits with accurate B2 vocabulary.