The document discusses the use of the phrase "used to" to talk about past habits or actions that no longer occur. It provides examples of sentences using "used to" and distinguishes it from simple past tense. It also notes that "used to" emphasizes repetition of past actions or situations that are now finished, while simple past can refer to single or repeated events. The document aims to help readers properly understand and use the phrase "used to" in the context of describing past versus present behaviors or circumstances.

1. Talking about the past

2. Look at the pictures in the next slide
and answer the question:
What do the three old people have in
common?

3. ‘I’m 89 years old. I
used to do a lot of
sport but I don’t do
any now. The most
important thing for me
is to feel good about
life and laugh every
day’.
‘I’ll be 85 on my
next birthday. The
thing that keeps me
young is dancing. I
didn’t use to do any
physical exercise
but now I dance
every day’.
‘I can’t believe it
but I’m 87! I used
to smoke but I gave
up when I was 55. I
don’t do much
exercise, but I like
to keep my brain
active. I love chess’.

4. Answer:
They all talk about something that happened regularly
or went on for a time in the past but that they don’t
do now/they no longer do.
Picture 1: I used to do a lot of sport but I don’t do any
now.
Picture 2: I didn’t use to do any physical exercise but
now I dance every day.
Picture 3: I used to smoke but I gave up when I was 55.

5. When I was a child…
I used to go to the seaside
every summer
I no longer go to the seaside
in the summer
PA S T P R E S E N T

6. Some examples:
I used to live in the country (=once/a long time
ago I lived in the country. Now I don’t)
Sam used to spend his summer holidays in
Mexico (=now he doesn’t)
I used to smoke, but now I’ve stopped. NOT: I
was used to smoke
Christine used to eat meat, but now she’s a
vegetarian.
Sarah used to be fat, but now she’s thin.
Jerry used to study English, but he doesn’t now.

7. Don’t get confused between:
1. I used to live in the country
2. I am used to living in the country
3. I got used to living in the country
A question for you:
what’s the difference in meaning between
these three sentences?

8. Answers:
I used to live in the country
= I no longer live in the country, I live in
a big city now
I’m used to living in the country = living in
the country is familiar and no longer
strange
I got used to living in the country
= living in the country has become
familiar/normal

9. To express the idea with a
graph…
I’m used to driving to
work. It takes me half an
hour
PA S T P R E S E N T

10. Look at the pictures and use the prompts below to make
sentences about Thomas e.g. Thomas used to …, now he….
Then listen and check your answers.
20 years ago
Do a lot of sport
Have a lot of hair
Be quite slim
Not have a girlfriend
Have a bicycle
Not have much money
Now
Not do any sport
Not have much hair
Be overweight
Be married
Have a car
Get a good salary

11. Language Practice 1
Choose the correct form:
1. Mike used to go / uses to go to football matches
2. Used you to / Did you use to live in Hobson Street?
3. Helen was playing / used to play with dolls when she
was small
4. This lake used to be / was used to be much bigger
than it is now
5. I didn’t use to / I not used to like jazz, but I’ve
changed my mind
6. Chris always used to meet / was always meeting his
friends after school
7. Phil gets up / uses to get up early every morning

12. Keys
1. Mike used to go to football matches
2. Did you use to live in Hobson Street?
3. Helen used to play with dolls when she was
small
4. This lake used to be much bigger than it is now
5. I didn’t use to like jazz, but I’ve changed my mind
6. Chris always used to meet his friends after
school
7. Phil gets up early every morning

13. Language Practice 2
Re-write the sentences with the necessary changes to the parts in
bold when it is possible to use ‘used to’:
1. Did you see your grandchildren last summer?
2. When I lived in NY I went jogging in Central Park twice a
week.
3. Did Mrs. Springle dress smartly when she was the Minister of
Education?
4. My sister Renata didn’t eat any kind of vegetables when she
was a child. Now she’s a vegetarian.
5. Were your parents in Rome last May?
6. Greenfall was a very quiet seaside resort once. Now it has
become very crowded.
7. Bob took me to the airport in his car when I left last week.
8. For years our parents went on holiday to France. Now they go
to Spain.

14. Keys
1. Did you see your grandchildren last summer? OK
2. When I lived in NY I used to go jogging in Central Park
twice a week.
3. Did Mrs. Springle use to dress smartly when she was the
Minister of Education?
4. My sister Renata didn’t use to eat any kind of vegetables
when she was a child. Now she’s a vegetarian.
5. Were your parents in Rome last May? OK
6. Greenfall used to be a very quiet seaside resort once. Now it
has become very crowded.
7. Bob took me to the airport in his car when I left last week.
OK
8. For years our parents used to go on holiday to France. Now
they go to Spain.

15. ‘Used to’ vs. Simple Past
Both Simple Past & ‘used to’ can be used to
describe past habits, events & states.
However ‘used to’ is preferred to emphasize
repetition of actions/situations that are now
finished.

16. Language analysis
Which of the following sentences describes:
1. A single action in the past?
2. Repeated actions/states in the past?
3. Repeated actions/states in the present?
a) We used to laugh a lot
b) We usually have toast for tea
c) I laughed when I saw him

17. Answers:
1 - c
2 – a
3 – b