ESL CONNECT | Used To

Explanation: used to

Use used to + base verb to talk about past habits or past states that are not true now.

1. Used to for past habits

Use used to for actions that happened regularly in the past, but do not happen now.

Past habit	Meaning
I used to play football every weekend.	I played football regularly in the past. Now I don’t.
She used to walk to school.	She walked to school in the past. Now she doesn’t.
We used to visit our grandparents every Sunday.	It was a regular past habit.

2. Used to for past states

Use used to for past situations, feelings or states that are different now.

Examples:
I used to live in Rome. = I lived in Rome in the past, but not now.
He used to be shy. = He was shy in the past, but not now.
They used to have a small house. = They had a small house in the past, but not now.

3. Form

Form	Structure	Example
Affirmative	subject + used to + base verb	I used to swim every day.
Negative	subject + didn’t use to + base verb	She didn’t use to like coffee.
Question	Did + subject + use to + base verb?	Did you use to play tennis?

4. Important spelling rule

In negatives and questions, use use to, not used to, because did already shows the past.

Correct	Incorrect
I didn’t use to like vegetables.	I didn’t used to like vegetables.
Did you use to live here?	Did you used to live here?

5. Used to vs past simple

Used to emphasises that something was true in the past but is not true now. The past simple can talk about one finished action or a past habit.

Used to	Past simple
I used to play the piano.	I played the piano yesterday.
Past habit, different now.	Finished action or past habit.
She used to live in Milan.	She lived in Milan for two years.

6. Used to vs usually

Used to is for past habits. Usually is for present habits.

Past habit	Present habit
I used to drink tea.	I usually drink coffee now.
He used to cycle to school.	He usually takes the bus now.

Remember:
Past habit/state, not true now: I used to live here.
Negative: I didn’t use to live here.
Question: Did you use to live here?

Affirmative: used to

Choose the correct affirmative form.

1. I __________ football every weekend.

use to play used to play used to played

2. She __________ in London.

used to live used to lived use to live

3. He __________ very shy.

used to was used to be use to be

4. They __________ a small dog.

used to had used to have use to have

Write the sentence

Complete: I / used to / live / in a small town.

Answer: I used to live in a small town.

Negative: didn’t use to

Choose the correct negative form.

1. I __________ coffee.

didn’t used to like didn’t use to like didn’t use to liked

2. He __________ much at school.

didn’t use to study didn’t used to study didn’t use to studied

3. She __________ glasses.

didn’t use to wear didn’t used to wear didn’t use to wore

4. We __________ to the gym.

didn’t used to go didn’t use to went didn’t use to go

Correct the mistake

Correct: She didn’t used to like vegetables.

Answer: She didn’t use to like vegetables.

Questions: Did you use to...?

Choose the correct question form.

1. __________ tennis?

Did you used to play Did you use to play Used you to play

2. __________ near here?

Did she use to live Did she used to live Does she used to live

3. __________ a car?

Did they use to have Did they used to have Used they to have

4. __________ quiet at school?

Did he used to be Did he use to be Did he use to was

Used to or past simple?

Choose the best form. Use used to for past habits/states that are different now. Use the past simple for one finished event.

1. When I was a child, I __________ outside every day.

used to play played yesterday use to played

2. I __________ my grandmother yesterday.

used to visit visited use to visit

3. She __________ in Paris, but now she lives in Rome.

used to live lived yesterday used to lived

4. We __________ a new laptop last week.

used to buy bought used to bought

Used to or usually?

Choose used to for past habits and usually for present habits.

1. I __________ drink tea, but now I drink coffee.

usually used to use

2. I __________ drink coffee in the morning now.

used to usually used

3. He __________ cycle to school, but now he takes the bus.

usually used to use to cycling

4. She __________ studies in the library after school.

usually used to use to

B1 contrast practice

Choose the best answer. Pay attention to meaning and form.

1. I __________ vegetables, but now I love them.

used to hate used to hated usually hate

2. She __________ grammar, but now she finds it easy.

didn’t used to understand didn’t use to understand didn’t use to understood

3. __________ in this building?

Did you used to work Did you use to work Used you to work

4. This area __________ very quiet, but now it is busy.

used to was used to be usually be

5. We __________ smartphones when we were children.

didn’t used to have didn’t use to have didn’t use to had

Correct the mistake

Correct: Did you used to play the guitar?

Answer: Did you use to play the guitar?

Correct: He used to was very shy.

Answer: He used to be very shy.

Mixed practice

Choose the best answer.

1. We __________ cartoons every morning.

used to watch used to watched use watching

2. I __________ spicy food.

didn’t used to like didn’t use to like didn’t use liking

3. My town __________ fewer shops.

used to have used to had usually have

4. Now he __________ the train to work.

used to take usually takes use to takes

5. __________ near the beach?

Did they used to live Did they use to live Used they to live

Final writing practice

1. Write one sentence about a past habit with used to.

2. Write one sentence about a past state with used to.

3. Write one negative sentence with didn’t use to.

4. Write one question with Did you use to...?