Used to is a simple way to compare the past with the present. When you say "I used to live in Mexico," the listener understands two things: you lived there for some time in the past, and you don't live there now. That is why it is so common when people talk about their childhood, old jobs or how a place has changed.
The grammar is easy: used to has one form for every person, and the verb after it is always the base form. There is no present form, so for habits now, use the present simple (I usually walk to work). Watch out for two traps: after did, write use to (Did you use to...?), and don't confuse used to with be used to + -ing, which means "be familiar with something."
How to form used to
Used to is the same for every person (I used to, she used to, they used to), and it is always followed by the base verb. In negatives and questions, did shows the past, so used becomes use.
| Type | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | subject + used to + base verb | I used to walk to school. She used to have long hair. |
| Negative | subject + didn't use to + base verb | We didn't use to eat out much. He didn't use to like vegetables. |
| Question | (Question word +) did + subject + use to + base verb? | Did you use to play any sports? Where did they use to live? |
| Short answers | Yes, subject + did. / No, subject + didn't. | Yes, I did. No, she didn't. |
| There used to be | there used to be + noun | There used to be a bakery on this corner. |
- Spelling: after did and didn't, write use to: Did you use to...? I didn't use to... You will sometimes see didn't used to, but didn't use to is the standard form, and it is the one exams expect.
- Pronunciation: in used to, the s sounds like /s/, not /z/, and you don't hear the d: /ˈjuːstə/. Use to after did sounds the same. Compare the ordinary verb use: I used /juːzd/ a knife to open the box.
- Used to has no present form. For habits now, use the present simple, often with usually: I usually take the bus (not I use to take the bus).
- Never used to is a common alternative to didn't use to: I never used to drink coffee.
- Don't use used to to say exactly how long or how many times something happened: I lived in Lima for five years (not I used to live in Lima for five years).
When to use used to
1. Past habits that have stopped
Use used to for things you did regularly in the past but don't do now.
- I used to ride my bike to school every day.
- My dad used to read us a story every night.
- We used to spend every summer at my grandparents' farm.
2. Past states that have changed
Used to also works with state verbs like be, have, live, like and know, for situations that were true in the past but are not true now.
- We used to have a cat named Tiger.
- I used to hate broccoli, but now I love it.
- This coffee shop used to be a bank.
3. Negatives and questions
Use didn't use to (or never used to) for things that were not true or not usual in the past. Ask about someone's past with Did you use to...?
- I didn't use to like coffee. Now I drink three cups a day.
- Did you use to wear glasses?
- What did people use to do before smartphones?
4. Would for repeated actions in stories
To describe repeated actions in the past, you can also use would + base verb, often shortened to 'd. It is common in stories and memories, usually after the past time is clear. Would is not possible for states, so use used to with verbs like be, have, live, like and know.
- When I was little, my grandmother would bake bread every Sunday.
- After school, we'd play in the street until it got dark.
- We used to live near the ocean. (not would live: live is a state here)
5. Not the same: be used to and get used to + -ing
Be used to + -ing (or a noun) is a different structure. It means that something is normal and familiar for you, and get used to means that it is becoming familiar. Be and get change for the tense, so these forms can talk about the present, past or future.
- I'm used to getting up early, so 6 a.m. is no problem.
- She's slowly getting used to the cold winters.
- Compare: I used to get up early. (I did in the past, but I don't now.)
Time phrases that often go with used to
- when I was a child
- when I was younger
- as a kid
- in the past
- back then
- years ago
- in those days
- not anymore
- now
- these days
These phrases are clues, not rules. A sentence with used to often also says what is true now: I used to share a room with my brother, but now I have my own.
Examples
Positive
- I used to take the bus to work, but now I ride my bike.
- My grandparents used to live on a farm.
- She used to be afraid of dogs.
- There used to be a big tree in front of our house.
Negative
- I didn't use to like jazz, but now I listen to it all the time.
- We didn't use to have a TV at home.
- He never used to cook, but now he makes dinner every night.
- There didn't use to be so many cars on this road.
Questions
- Did you use to have a nickname at school?
- What did you use to do on weekends when you were a teenager?
- Where did your family use to go on vacation?
- Didn't you use to work at the bank downtown?
Used to or would?
Both can describe repeated actions in the past, so in many sentences you can use either. The difference is states: only used to works with state verbs like be, have, live, like and know. Would also needs a clear past time, so stories often start with used to and continue with would.
| Used to | Would |
|---|---|
| When I was a kid, we used to rent a cabin by the lake every summer. (a repeated action) | When I was a kid, we would rent a cabin by the lake every summer. (also correct: a repeated action) |
| I used to have a red bike. (have = own: a state, so only used to) | I would ride it to the park every afternoon. (a repeated action, so would is fine) |
| My grandfather used to be a firefighter. (be is a state, so only used to) | He would tell us stories about his job for hours. (a repeated action, so would is fine) |
| I used to swim every morning. (clear on its own) | When I lived by the sea, I would swim every morning. (would needs a past time to be clear) |
Common mistakes
- WrongI use to live in a small town.RightI used to live in a small town.
In positive sentences, the form is used to, with a d, even though you can't hear it.
- WrongDid you used to play an instrument?RightDid you use to play an instrument?
Did already shows the past, so after did and didn't, write use to without -d.
- WrongWe used to going to the beach every weekend.RightWe used to go to the beach every weekend.
Used to is followed by the base verb, not the -ing form.
- WrongI use to go to the gym on Mondays.RightI usually go to the gym on Mondays.
Used to is only for the past; for habits now, use the present simple, often with usually.
- WrongWhen I was young, I would have a lot of friends.RightWhen I was young, I used to have a lot of friends.
Would can describe repeated actions in the past, but not states like have, be or live.
- WrongI'm used to get up at six.RightI'm used to getting up at six.
Be used to (= be familiar with) is followed by an -ing form or a noun, not the base verb.
Summers in the village
Examples of used to are highlighted.
When I was a child, I used to spend every summer in my grandmother's village. Life there used to be very simple. There didn't use to be any stores, so a truck used to bring bread and milk twice a week. My grandmother used to get up at five and feed the chickens before breakfast. My cousins and I used to swim in the river all afternoon, and in the evening we used to sit outside and listen to her stories. Did we use to get bored without TV? Never. Today the village has a supermarket and fast internet, and my grandmother has a smartphone. But I still miss those quiet summers.
Used To quiz
8 questions. Choose an answer to see if it is right and why.
Read texts that use used to
Grammar sticks when you meet it again in real reading. These graded texts use this structure; each one has key words, audio and questions.
Used To: questions and answers
What does used to mean?
Used to + base verb describes something that happened regularly or was true in the past but is not true now: I used to play the piano (I don't play now). It has one form for every person and is only used for the past.
Is it "didn't use to" or "didn't used to"?
The standard form is didn't use to, because did already shows the past: I didn't use to like coffee. You will see didn't used to in informal writing, but in exams and careful writing, use didn't use to and Did you use to...?
What is the difference between used to and would?
Both can describe repeated actions in the past: We used to play outside every evening, or We would play outside every evening. Only used to works for past states with verbs like be, have, live and like: I used to have a dog (not I would have a dog).
What is the difference between used to and be used to?
Used to + base verb is about the past: I used to work at night (but I don't now). Be used to + -ing or a noun means that something is familiar and normal for you: I'm used to working at night (it isn't hard for me). Get used to means that something is becoming familiar.
Can I use used to for the present?
No. Used to has no present form, so I use to... is not correct for a habit now. Use the present simple, often with usually: I usually get up at seven.