TensesIntermediate

Used to

Used to + base verb talks about past habits and past states that are no longer true. It only exists in the past: there is no present form. In negatives and questions, 'did' carries the past tense, so 'used' becomes 'use': didn't use to, Did you use to …?

WHEN TO USE

Use it for repeated actions in the past that no longer happen, and for past states that have changed. For a single past action, or to say how many times something happened, use the past simple instead.

STRUCTURE

positiveS+used to+base verb

I used to play football every weekend.

negativeS+didn't use to+base verb

She didn't use to like coffee.

questionDid+S+use to+base verb?

Did you use to live in Da Nang?

exceptionbe / get used to+V-ing or noun (= be accustomed to)

She is used to working at night.

SIGNAL WORDS

used to
anymore
no longer
when I was a child
in the past
never used to

EXAMPLES

I used to have long hair when I was a student.
There used to be a cinema on this street.
We didn't use to have a car.
Did your grandparents use to tell you stories?
He used to smoke, but he quit last year.

COMMON MISTAKES

I use to play football when I was a kid.

I used to play football when I was a kid.

In positive sentences, always write 'used to', with a -d

Did you used to live here?

Did you use to live here?

After 'did' or 'didn't', write 'use to': 'did' already shows the past

I used to getting up early, so 6 AM is fine.

I'm used to getting up early, so 6 AM is fine.

'Used to + base verb' is a past habit. To say something is normal for you now, use 'be used to + V-ing'

I used to go to Japan in 2019.

I went to Japan in 2019.

'Used to' is for repeated actions or states, not a single event at a specific time

Tip

Check whether it is still true. If it's over, 'used to' fits: I used to live in Hue (I don't now). If you mean 'it's normal for me', you need 'be used to + V-ing': I'm used to working late.