Used To

B1 · IntermediatePast Tenses

Used to talks about something that was true or happened regularly in the past, but isn't the case anymore.

What you'll learn

  • Statements: used to + base verb (I used to play, she used to live)
  • Negatives: didn't use to + base verb (only one d, on didn't)
  • Questions: Did + subject + use to + base verb
  • Works for both past habits (repeated actions) and past states (how things were)

A finished past habit or state

Used to describes something that happened repeatedly or was true in the past, with a clear contrast implied: it isn't true or doesn't happen now.

"I used to play the piano. (I don't anymore.)"
"She used to live in Kyiv. (She doesn't now.)"

Habits and states

Used to works for repeated actions (habits) and for ongoing situations (states) alike — both describe how things used to be, as a whole, without focusing on any single occasion.

"I used to go jogging every morning. (habit)"
"I used to have long hair. (state)"

Negatives and questions

In negatives and questions, the auxiliary did carries the past tense — used loses its -d and becomes just use, matching the pattern of every other verb after did.

"I didn't use to like spicy food."
"Did you use to live here?"

Real English

"We used to go camping every summer when I was a kid."
"I didn't use to like coffee, but now I can't live without it."
"Did you use to play any instruments?"
"This street used to be full of shops."

Watch out

✗I use to play the piano.
✓I used to play the piano.

In an affirmative statement, used keeps its -d — only the negative and question forms drop it.

✗She didn't used to like coffee.
✓She didn't use to like coffee.

Did already carries the past tense in negatives and questions, so use loses its -d — the same rule as any other verb after did.

✗I used to living in a big city.
✓I used to live in a big city.

Used to (past habit) is followed by the base verb — don't confuse it with the unrelated phrase be used to + -ing, which means 'be accustomed to'.

Real life — Reminiscing about school

"Did you use to hang out here after school?"

"All the time. This place used to be a bookshop, actually."

"Really? I didn't know that."

"Yeah, it used to be one of our favorite spots."

Practice

Exercise 1 · Choose the correct sentence

Choose the correct sentence.

Exercise 2 · Choose the correct negative

Choose the correct negative.

Exercise 3 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct question.

Exercise 4 · Choose the correct answer

Which sentence describes a past state (not a habit)?

Exercise 5 · Choose the correct sentence

Choose the correct sentence.

Exercise 6 · Choose the correct answer

What does 'used to' imply about the action?

Exercise 7 · Choose the correct sentence

Choose the correct sentence.

Exercise 8 · Choose the correct sentence

Choose the correct sentence.

Exercise 9 · Complete the sentence

Complete: 'They ___ (use to) live next door to us.' (past habit, affirmative)

Exercise 10 · Complete the sentence

Complete: 'I ___ (not/use to) eat vegetables as a kid.' (negative)

Exercise 11 · Sort into groups

used to smoke
smoked yesterday
used to be shy
visited once
used to walk to school
called last night

0 / 6 sorted

Quick challenge

Five quick questions to check what stuck.

Question 1 / 5

Score: 0/0

Choose the correct sentence.

You learned

  • Used to describes a past habit or state that no longer happens or isn't true now.
  • Affirmative: used to + base verb.
  • Negatives and questions: did + use to + base verb (no -d after did).
  • Don't confuse used to (past habit) with be used to + -ing (accustomed to).

Related grammar lessons

IntermediatePast Tenses

Would for Past Habits

Learn how would describes repeated past actions (not states), how it differs from used to, and how to tell this use apart from conditional would.

IntermediatePast Tenses

Past Perfect

Learn how to form and use the past perfect (had + past participle) to show that one past action happened before another past action or point in time.

ElementaryPast Tenses

Past Continuous

Learn how to form and use the past continuous (was/were + -ing) for actions in progress at a specific past moment, background scenes, and interrupted actions.

Upper IntermediatePast Tenses

Past Perfect Continuous

Learn how to form and use the past perfect continuous (had been + -ing) to emphasize the duration of an action that was going on up to a specific point in the past.

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