Used to (do)

Today's lesson is...

USED TO (DO)

USED TO

Let’s study this example:

Dylan doesn’t travel much these days. He prefers to stay at home. But he used to travel a lot. He used to go away two or three times a year.

• He used to travel a lot = he travelled a lot regularly in the past, but he doesn’t do this anymore.

He used to travel

He doesn't travel

past now

USED TO

Something used to happen = it happened regularly in the past, but no longer happens:

• We used to play football a lot, but we don’t play very often now.
• Dianne used to spend a lot of money on shoes. These days she can’t afford it.
• “Do you go to the beach much?” – “No, but I used to”.

We also use used to… for things that were true, but are not true anymore:

• They sell sweets at this store now, but they used to sell breakfast.
• I’ve started drinking coffee recently. I never used to like it before.

USED TO

“I used to do something” is past. There is no present form. You cannot say “I use to do”. To talk about the present use the present simple (I do). Compare:

• She used to live in a small village, but now she lives in London.
• There used to be five pizza restaurants in the town. Now there is only one.

PAST We used to play She used to live

PRESENT We play She lives

VS

USED TO

The normal question form is did (you) use to…?

• Did you use to eat a lot of vegetables when you were a child?

The negative form is didn’t use to … (used not to… is also possible)

• I didn’t use to like cabbage. (or I used not to like cabbage).

USED TO

Compare I used to do and I was doing

• I used to read a lot. (= I read regularly in the past, but I no longer do this)
• I was reading when you called. (= I was in the middle of reading)

Do not confuse I used to do and I am used to doing. The structures and meanings are different:

• I used to cook dinner. (= I cooked dinner in the past, but I no longer cook it).
• I am used to cooking dinner. (= I cook dinner, and I don’t find it strange or difficult because I’ve been cooking dinner for some time).