This document provides instruction on using the phrase "used to" in English. It explains that "used to" is used to talk about past habits or actions that are no longer happening. Some examples are given, such as "Robert used to play football." It also explains when to use the simple past tense instead of "used to." Two exercises are included to practice using "used to" correctly. The first asks students to complete sentences with "used to." The second has students choose between "used to" and past simple. Finally, students are prompted to discuss how life was different before inventions like computers, cars, and televisions.

1. 2017-18 FALL
B1 LEVEL
Main Course
WEEK 2
Used to
We use “used to” to talk about past habits or long-lasting actions which we no longer do.
• Robert used to play football when he was younger, but he stopped playing 20 years ago.
(Robert played football regularly in the past, but he doesn’t play now.)
• Children didn’t use to have so many toys in the past.
• Did you use to have big arguments with your friends when you were in high school?
• That white house over there used to belong to my family
We don’t use “used to” to talk about a particular action which happened once in the past. We use
Simple Past Tense instead. The Simple Past Tense is also possible for repeated actions or a situation
that existed in the past.
• My sister used to sing in a choir, but she gave it up
• My sister sang in a choir, but she gave it up.
• He is no longer such a famous pop star, but just three years ago the young adored him/
used to adore him. (Both are possible.)
We don’t use “used to” to say how long something happened.
• I worked in Rome for six months. (DON’T SAY: I used to work in Rome for six months.)
Exercise 1. Complete these sentences with use(d) to… + a suitable verb.
1. Skyler gave up smoking three years ago. He ____________ 30 cigarettes a day.
2. Ben _________ a motorbike, but last year he sold it and bought a car.
3. We came to live in Manchester a few years ago. We ___________ in Liverpool.
4. I love eating ice cream now but I ____________ any when I was a child.
5. Jim _________ my best friend but we aren’t friends any longer.
6. It only takes me about 50 minutes to get to work since the new road was opened. It ___________
more than an hour.
7. There ______ a bookstore opposite the station but it closed a long time ago.
8. When you lived in London, __________ to the theatre very often?
Exercise 2. Use either "used to" or the Past Simple to complete each of the sentences. Use "used
to" when possible.
1. I _____________ (see) Marcus at the library working hard. He told me to say hello to you.
2. She ____________ (be) a lot happier, but then she lost her job.
3. There _____________ (be) three restaurants in this town, but two closed down leaving only one.
4. If you look over there, you can see the field where they_____________ (fight) the Battle of Harris
Hill in 1509.
5. Did you _____________(take) a lot of photos when you were in Moscow last year?
6. How many hours a day did you _____________ (go) to school when you were ten?
7. Children never _____________ (talk) so aggressively to their parents. It's terrible!
8. Soldiers _____________ (build) this bridge near the end of the Second World War.
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2. 2017-18 FALL
B1 LEVEL
Main Course
WEEK 2
Group Work Discuss how people used to live before the following inventions changed society.
Was life better or worse? Was it safer or more dangerous? In what ways?
• computers • cars • airplanes
• cold medicine • microwave ovens • TV
A : Before computers existed, students used to write everything down with a pencil or pen.
B : And they used to copy everything again when they revised their papers.
C: Student life was hard!
Answer Key
Exercise 1
1. Skyler gave up smoking three years ago. He ____used to smoke_____ 30 cigarettes a day.
2. Ben _used to have ___ a motorbike, but last year he sold it and bought a car.
3. We came to live in Manchester a few years ago. We ___used to live_____ in Liverpool.
4. I love eating ice cream now but I ___did not use to eat_________ any when I was a child.
5. Jim ___used to be______ my best friend but we aren’t friends any longer.
6. It only takes me about 50 minutes to get to work since the new road was opened. It _____used to take______ more than an hour.
7. There ___used to be___ a bookstore opposite the station but it closed a long time ago.
8. When you lived in London, _____did you use to go_____ to the theatre very often?
Exercise 2.
1. saw 2. used to be 3. used to be 4. fought. 5.take 6. Use to go 7. used to talk 8. built
Exercise 3. Answers will vary
*adapted from http://www.cambridge.org/grammarandbeyond/
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