2. Present habits: if we want to talk about what we do
frequently in the present time we put an adverb of
frequency in the sentence.
I always have tea in the morning.
We seldom eat at home.
She frequently goes to the toilet in the middle of the
lesson.
I rarely come home late in the evenings.
Past habits: We use used + infinitive to talk about past
habits and states (conditions) which are now finished.
3. Used to refer to things that happened at an earlier stage
of one’s life and are now finished: there is an idea that
the conditions in life have changed.
I used to smoke, but now I’ve stopped.
When I was a child, I used to go to the baker’s to get
freshly baked bread.
When I was a child, my mother used to read stories for
me before I sleep.
People used to listen to the radio more often at home.
My mother used to clean up my room, but now I am a
university student I must clean up my mess.
In the farm, I used to get up at five to help my father.
We used to sit outside in the garden and chat all night
long before we had the cinema theatre built in our
village.
4. I used to listen to my favourite pop songs from
cassette tapes and radio stations but now I listen to
any music I want from my MP3 player or internet.
My father used to take me for a ride outside the city
but now I have a family and a car. I take my children
to school and picnics.
I used to speak on the phone with my mother for
hours but I use the internet. It is cheaper and it has
video.
When I was in Spain, I used to take siesta every
afternoon.
I used to use a typewriter to prepare my homework
projects.
People used to wait for years to get a telephone line
connected to their home but now you can
5. Questions and negatives with Used to … (Did …. Used )
What did people use(d) to do in the evenings before TV
was invented?
I didn’t use(d) to like opera.
I usedn’t to like opera.
I never used to like opera.
I used not to like opera, but now I do. (formal)
Used you to play football at school?
In the old days I used not to go to the opera.
I didn’t use to go to the cinema.
I didn’t use to travel by plane.
I used not to travel by plane.
I never used to travel by plane.
6. Used to…is a grammar form that we use to talk about
things we always did in the past but we no longer do them
now.
When I was young, I used to do a lot of sports. I used to
play football, tennis, and volley ball. I also used to go
sailing a lot. Now, I only have time to go for a walk at the
weekends.
Used to can not be used to simply say what happened at a
definite time in the past or how long it took or how many
times it happened.
I worked very hard last month (not I used to work very
hard last month)
7. I lived in Konya for three years (not I used to live in Konya
for three years)
I went to France seven times last year (not I used to go to
France seven times last year)
Used to / Would
Used to is used for repeated actions and events in the
past. Likewise, would is used to talk about repeated
actions and events in the past but not for conditions and
states.
When she was young, she used to read a lot of books.
Sometimes my husband used to bring me little presents
without saying why but now he doesn’t.
8. In the old days, this used to be a beautiful street, lined with
trees. There were no tall buildings, just houses and a few
small shops. Just look at it now! Skyscrapers, apartment
blocks, and traffic! There used to be no traffic, people
would walk (used to walk)up and down the streets at night
quite safely. Nowadays, you don’t want to go out at night
after dark. It’s dangerous.
Whenever he had lunch he would (used to) order some
bread and butter and would (used to) leave it on the plate.
To be + used to (doing something/noun): If a person is
used to something/or used to doing something that means
he/she is familiar with that thing. That behavior or thing is
not new or strange for him/her:
9. I am used to driving the car more confidently.
I am used to the hot weather in Adana since I moved
there 6 months ago.
He was used to getting up early and didn’t mind working
long hours although it had been hard at the beginning.
I am not used to eating so late in the evening.
