english

USUALLY

& USED TO

Juan José López Moro

USED TO: FORM

+ - ?

I

You

He

She used to smoke

It

We

You

They

I

You

He

She didn’t use to

It smoke.

We

You

They

I

you

he use to

Did she smoke?

it

we

you

they

Short Answers: Yes, I did. No, I didn’t.


USAGE

Used to + infinitive only exists in the past.

It refers to past habits and states: if we say that somebody used to do something, we mean that some time ago he did it habitually, but that he does not do it now.

You can also use the past simple here.

We often use not…any more/any longer (= not now) with the present simple to contrast with used to

I used to go to the gym but I don’t any more.


PRESENT HABITS

There is no present form for used to.

To express the same idea in the present,

use usually & the present simple :

e.g.: I (usually) cook in the evenings.

Do you usually walk to work?


WATCH OUT!!

Don’t confuse this form with the past of the verb use > used. Their meaning is different as well as their pronunciation.

Don’t confuse this form with be / get used to something = it is not new or strange for me.

Compare:

I used to smoke. (Solía fumar)

I used my dictionary. (Usé el diccionario)

I’m used to driving on the left. (Estoy acostumbrado a conducir por la izquierda)


EXAMPLES

Study these examples:

Lucy stopped smoking two years ago. She doesn’t smoke any more.

BUT she used to smoke. She used to smoke 40 cigarettes a day.

“She used to smoke”= She smoked regularly some time in the past, but she doesn’t smoke now. She was a smoker but now she isn’t.


TIME LINE

Lucy used to smoke. She used to smoke

40 cigarettes a day. She stopped smoking

two years ago. She doesn’t smoke any

more.

She used to smoke She doesn’t smoke

past 2 years ago

now


PRONUNCIATION

Note that the affirmative form (used to) and the

negative and interrogative forms (use to) are

pronounced the same:

/ju:stə/

The past tense of the verb “to use” is

pronounced differently:

/ju:zd/


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