Used To
Talking About Past Routines and Habits
What Does “Used To” Mean?
We use used to to talk about things that were true in the past but are not true now. It’s especially useful for describing:
- Past habits or routines that we no longer do
- Past situations or states that have changed
✓ I used to play tennis every weekend. (But I don’t play anymore)
✓ She used to live in Paris. (But she doesn’t live there now)
✓ We used to be close friends. (But we’re not close anymore)
Structure
The structure is very simple and the same for all subjects:
Positive: Subject + used to + base verb
→ I/You/He/She/It/We/They used to work there.
Negative: Subject + didn’t use to + base verb
→ I/You/He/She/It/We/They didn’t use to like coffee.
Question: Did + subject + use to + base verb?
→ Did you use to smoke?
Note: In negatives and questions, we write “use to” (not “used to”) because “did” already shows the past tense.
More Examples
• When I was young, I used to wake up at 5 AM every day.
• This building used to be a cinema.
• They didn’t use to have a car.
• Did you use to wear glasses?
• Where did she use to work?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
✗ I use to play football. → ✓ I used to play football.
✗ She used to likes pizza. → ✓ She used to like pizza. (base verb, not -s)
✗ Did you used to live here? → ✓ Did you use to live here?
✗ I didn’t used to drink tea. → ✓ I didn’t use to drink tea.
Remember: “Used to” is only for past habits and states. Don’t use it for things happening now or for single events in the past!
✗ I used to go to the cinema yesterday. (single event – use past simple instead)
✓ I went to the cinema yesterday.
Check Your Understanding
Choose the correct answer for each question. You can check each answer individually before submitting the entire quiz.
