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Explore advanced uses of "used to" in different contexts. For example: "They used to be best friends." Comprehensive explanations, exercises, and a quiz provided.
Used to
'Used to' shows that an action happened continuously, habitually or frequently during a period in the past, but not any longer.
Used to: Functions
'Used to' can express two different meanings and both are related to the past:
Past habitual actions
Past states
Past Habitual Action
In this usage, 'used to' refers to an action that was done regularly or habitually in the past, but is not done any longer. Here are some examples:
I used to play the piano when I was a child.
They used to go camping every summer.
Past States
'Used to' can describe a state or condition that was true in the past but not any more. For example:
There used to be a bookstore here.
She used to be very shy.
Negation and Questions
Unlike modals, 'used to' cannot be used to form negative and interrogative structures and needs the supporting auxiliary 'did' for this purpose. As a result of function of the past auxiliary, 'used to' loses the past marker '-d' and changes to 'use to.'
Did he use to smoke?
Didn't she use to go to our school?
I didn't use to like olives.
She didn't use to live here.
However, if a negative adverb or negative pronoun is used to make the sentence negative, 'used to' can remain in its original form.
We never used to worry about money.
Be/Get Used to
If 'used to' is used after the auxiliary 'be' or the verb 'get,' it is no longer a semi-modal; rather, it is a passive structure that shows someone is accustomed to a situation. This structure can refer to the past, present, or future. Compare the examples:
I used to get up early every day.
This shows a habit in the past.
I am used to getting up early.
This shows the speaker is accustomed to the routine. Notice that in this case, a gerund follows 'used to.'
You'll eventually get used to getting up early.
This is not a semi-modal.
Review
'Used to' expresses two meanings, both in the past
an activity that you did regularly in the past
a state that was true in the past, but not any longer
In both cases, it needs the auxiliary 'did' to form questions and negative sentences:
She used to have long hair. |
She didn't use to have long hair. |
Did she use to have long hair? |
Quiz:
Which option is grammatically incorrect?
They never used to argue.
Did he use to live here?
We use to take the bus to school.
I was used to working night shifts.
Sort the words to form a correct negative sentence.
Match the sentence in Column A to the correct description in Column B.
Identify the sentence about formation of a habit.
I used to drink coffee every morning.
I never used to drinking coffee every morning.
I got used to drinking coffee every morning.
I am used to drink coffee every morning.
Complete each sentence using the correct form of "used to."
She didn't
like spicy food, but now she enjoys it.
I
live in that neighborhood when I was a child.
Did you
go swimming in the river as a kid?
We never
worry about exams back then.
I
getting up early for work; it doesn't bother me anymore.
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