Mastering 'Used to' in English: Past Habits and States Explained

Understanding "Used to"

In English, "used to" is a useful expression to describe habits or states that were true in the past but are no longer true.

This lesson will explore how to use "used to" effectively in sentences and the differences between similar expressions.

Example Situation

Let's start with an example to illustrate how "used to" works:

-Nicola doesn’t travel much these days.

-She prefers to stay at home.

-But she used to travel a lot.

-She used to go away two or three times a year.

In this situation, "used to travel a lot" means that Nicola traveled often in the past, but she doesn't do this anymore.

How to Use "Used to"

"I used to do something" means that you did something often in the past, but you no longer do it. Here are some more examples:

-I used to play tennis a lot, but I don’t play very much now.

-David used to spend a lot of money on clothes. These days he can’t afford it.

-‘Do you go to the cinema much?’ ‘Not now, but I used to.’ (= I used to go often.)

"Used to" for States that are No Longer True

We also use "used to" to talk about things that were true in the past but are not true anymore:

-This building is now a furniture shop. It used to be a cinema.

-I used to think Mark was unfriendly, but now I realize he’s a very nice person.

-I’ve started drinking coffee recently. I never used to like it before.

-Lisa used to have very long hair when she was a child

"Used to" is Past Tense:

"I used to do something" is always in the past tense. There is no present form. You cannot say "I use to do."

To talk about the present, use the present simple (e.g., "I do").

Question Form:
The normal question form is "Did (you) use to … ?"

Example: "Did you use to eat a lot of sweets when you were a child?" (= did you do this often?)

Negative Form:
The negative form is "didn't use to …" (or "used not to …" is also possible).

Example: "I didn’t use to like him." (or "I used not to like him.")

Comparing "I used to do" and "I was doing"

-"I used to watch TV a lot."
This means I watched TV often in the past, but I don’t do this anymore.

-"I was watching TV when Rob called."
This means I was in the middle of watching TV at a specific moment in the past.

Don’t Confuse "I used to do" with "I am used to doing"

The structures and meanings of these expressions are different:

-"I used to live alone."
This means I lived alone in the past, but I no longer live alone.

-"I am used to living alone."
This means I live alone now, and it’s not a problem for me because I’ve lived alone for some time.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

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