english4theworld
learners' centre
grammar reference
USED TO + VERB
USED TO + VERB and the PAST SIMPLE and WOULD
BE USED TO VERB+ING
GET / BECOME / GROW USED TO + VERB+ING
USED TO + VERB
WHAT IS THE FORM OF USED TO + VERB?
I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they used to be
I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they didn't use to be
Did I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they use to be?
Didn't I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they use to be?
We use
used to + verb when we talk about a past
(finished) habit or a past (finished) situation.
We are making a contrast with the present.
Here,
we can also use the Past Simple, but we cannot
use would + verb.
Examples:
- I used to like sweets when I was a child.
- I liked sweets when I was a child.
- I would like sweets when I was a child. X
- I used to be a lot fitter when I was younger.
- I was a lot fitter when I was younger.
- I would be a lot fitter when I was younger. X
- Peter Davidson used to work here, but he left last month.
- Peter Davidson worked here, but he left last month.
- Peter Davidson would work here, but he left last month. X
USED TO + VERB and the PAST SIMPLE and WOULD
We can
use used to + verb or the Past
Simple or would + verb when we are
describing a (finished) past routine.
We
are not making a contrast with the present - we are only describing a
routine or pattern during a certain period in the past.
Example:
- When I
was a child, I used to leave/left/would
leave
the house at 7.30 and catch the 7.45 bus to school.
I used to arrive/arrived/would arrive there at about 8.00. Lessons started at nine, so I used to play/played/would play
with my friends till the bell rang. We used to have/had/would have lunch in the middle of the day.
School used to finish/finished/would finish at about 3.30 but sometimes I used to stay/stayed/would stay late to play sports,
so then I didn’t use to arrive/didn't arrive/wouldn't arrive home till 7.00.
We can use the Past Simple to talk about past habits, situations, routines and patterns that happened regularly in the past.
The context
and an expression of finished past time will make it clear if we are talking
about
something that happened regularly in the past or one past finished action.
Examples: Past habits, situations and routines that happened regularly in the past.
- I liked sweets when I was child.
- I was a lot fitter when I was younger.
- I took the bus to work when I lived in New York.
One past finished action.
- I liked the sweets you gave me yesterday.
- I was fit last summer.
- I took the subway to work last week.
BE USED TO VERB+ING
WHAT IS THE FORM OF BE USED TO VERB+ING?
Two forms are possible:
- be + used to + verb+ing
- be + used to + noun
Examples:
I'm used
to being cold.
I'm used to the cold.
You aren't used to being cold.
You aren't used to the cold.
Is he used to being cold?
Is he used to the cold?
Isn't
she used to being cold?
Isn't she used to the cold?
HOW DO WE USE BE USED TO VERB+ING?
We use
be + used to + verb+ing (or
be + used to + noun) to say that something is not new or strange
or a problem for us.
We have previous experience of it.
Examples:
- I live alone so I am used to cooking for myself.
- In Britain, people are used to rain.
- It was a long time before I was used to driving in London. It's okay now.
GET / BECOME / GROW USED TO + VERB+ING
We use
the verbs get, become
and grow + verb+ing (or
get/become/grow + used to + noun) to talk about
the change of something from strange and new to us to not strange and
new.
Examples:
- I like the job, but I will never get used to working such long hours.
- It was strange at first, but I soon became used to being a full-time mother.
- It's a shame you're leaving. I was just growing used to you.