Used to

USED TO means “to be doing something for a period in the past, either often or for a long time”. It expresses past habits. Unlike WOULD it doesn’t require a past time reference.

E.g. I used to come to their place quite often.

I would come to their place every Sunday last summer.

USED TO also expresses past situations.

E.g. She used to have dark hair but now she dyes it red.

USED TO has no present form (and no progressive, perfect, infinitive or Participle I). To talk about present habits and states, use the Simple Present tense.

E.g. She collects CDs.

The auxiliary verb did is used to form interrogative sentences.

E.g. Did she use to have long hair?

Note 1 . The correct spelling is ‘use to’, not ‘used to’.

The negative form is usually ‘didn’t use to’, but in British English. This is quite informal and is not usually used in writing.

E.g. We didn’t use to work on Saturdays.

Note 2 . The negative form ‘used not to’ (rather formal) and the question form ‘used you to ...?’ (old-fashioned & very formal) are only used in British English, usually in writing.

As a modal verb USED TO expresses:

1) that something happened continuously during a period in the past.

E.g. I used to live in London. You used to work for this firm for quite a time, didn’t you?

2) that something happened frequently during a period in the past.

E.g. We used to go sailing on a lake in summer. I didn’t use to go out much when I was at college.

NOTE 3 . Mind that USED TO and WOULD are synonyms if they express a repeated action. However, USED TO is typical for colloquial speech, whereas WOULD is frequently used in writing. To show a state in the past only USED TO is used.

E.g. He used to be a military engineer.

Exercise 180. Complete the sentences according to the model.

Model. I don’t smoke now. – I used to smoke when I was younger.

1. It’s amazing! There is a big shopping centre here now, although I remember … .

2. I am glad to be back into this town, you know, I … .

3. I hate pickled pepper! …, but I’ve have too much of it.

4. I enjoy reading books about Art, … .

5. I can recommend you this gym. When I lived nearby, … .

6. I don’t go out much now, … .

7. You should ask him, he knows much about Italy, … .

8. I wish I had a car now, … .

9. …, but now this is a highly developed country.

10. I drink only 2 mugs of coffee a day, … .

Exercise 181. Complete the sentences with used to or would.

1. Every evening he … go to the Tylors to have a game of chess with Griffin Tylor.

2. When I was about your age, I … go hiking with my friends.

3. We … spend more time together.

4. She was such a sissy. She … complain about every slight inconvenience.

5. He … come to their door at 7.30, punctually as always.

6. People … read more books than they do now.

7. There … be so many cafes in this part of town.

8. Before the accident she … to go jogging every day.

9. I … visit them every summer.

10. She was so punctual. Every morning she … get up at 6, have breakfast and leave at 6.45 sharp.

Exercise 182. Say what you used to do, and do not do any more.

Model. I used to walk a lot, but now that I have a car, I don’t walk much.

Exercise 183. Translate into English using your Active Grammar.

1. Он часто ездил на этот замечательный курорт летом. 2. Он был душой любой компании и легко находил со всеми общий язык. 3. Как часто вы навещали нас раньше! Может быть, вы приедете к нам в субботу? 4. Она периодически подбегала к столу, чтобы проверить, все ли правильно сервировано. 5. Раньше ты так часто ходил в этот клуб. 6. Обзор показал, что раньше оплата налогов была менее своевременной. 7. Раньше он был водителем, потом стал работать телохранителем. 8. Когда я учился в институте, я часто посещал эту библиотеку. 9. Возможно, он первым обнаружил, что кельты жили здесь. 10. Эмма часто собирала гостей на веранде.