The spelling of the phrase "were habit of" may seem a bit tricky, but it follows the rules of English phonetics. The word "were" is pronounced /wɜːr/, with the "e" being pronounced as a schwa sound. The phrase "habit of" is pronounced /ˈhæbɪt ɒv/, with the stress on the first syllable of "habit" and the "o" in "of" pronounced as a short "o" sound. When said together, the phrase sounds like /wɜːr ˈhæbɪt ɒv/. With practice, this phrase will become second nature in your English vocabulary.