Unit 18. Used to (do).

Unit 18- Part A

Study this example situation: Diane doesn’t travel much these days. She prefers to stay at home. But she used to travel a lot. She used to go away two or three times a year. She used to travel a lot = she travelled a lot regularly in the past, but she doesn’t do this any more.

Unit 18- Part B

Something used to happen = it happened regularly in the past, but no longer happens:

•    I used to play tennis a lot, but I don’t play very often now.
•    David used to spend a lot of money on clothes. These days he can’t afford it.
•    ‘Do you go to the cinema much?’    ‘Not now, but I used to.‘  (= I used to go)

We also use used to … for things that were true, but are not true any more:
•    This building is now a furniture shop. It used to be a cinema.
•    I used to think Mark was unfriendly, but now I realise he’s a very nice person.
•    I’ve started drinking tea recently. I never used to like it before.
•    Nicole used to have very long hair when she was a child.

Unit 18- Part C

‘I used to do something’ is past. There is no present form. You cannot say ‘I use to do’. To talk about the present, use the present simple (I do).
Compare:
 

past present

he used to play he plays

we used to live we live

there used to be there is

•    We used to live in a small village, but now we live in London.
•    There used to be four cinemas in the town. Now there is only one.

Unit 18- Part D

The normal question form is did (you) use to … ?:

•    Did you use to eat a lot of sweets when you were a child?

The negative form is didn’t use to …  (used not to … is also possible):
•    I didn’t use to like him.  (or I used not to like him.)

Unit 18- Part E

Compare I used to do and I was doing:

•    I used to watch TV a lot.  (= I watched TV regularly in the past, but I no longer do this)
•    I was watching TV when Mike called.  (= I was in the middle of watching TV)

Unit 18- Part F

Do not confuse I used to do and I am used to doing (see Unit 61).
The structures and meanings are different:
•    I used to live alone.  (= I lived alone in the past, but I no longer live alone.)
•    I am used to living alone.  (= I live alone, and I don’t find it strange or difficult because I’ve been living alone for some time.)

Exercises

{slide=1 Complete the sentences with use(d) to + a suitable verb.}Complete the sentences with use(d) to + a suitable verb.
{tooltip}Key.{end-link}2    used to have/ride
3    used to live
4    used to eat/like/love
5    used to be
6    used to take
7    used to be
8    did you use to go{end-tooltip}

1    Diane doesn’t travel much now. She   used to travel  a lot, but she prefers to stay at home these days.
2    Liz ____________ a motorbike, but last year she sold it and bought a car.
3    We came to live in London a few years ago. We ____________ in Leeds.
4    I rarely eat ice-cream now, but I ____________ it when I was a child.
5    Jim ____________ my best friend, but we aren’t good friends any longer.
6    It only takes me about 40 minutes to get to work now that the new road is open. It ____________ more than an hour.
7    There ____________ a hotel near the airport, but it closed a long time ago.
8    When you lived in New York, ____________ to the theatre very often? {/slide} {slide=2 Matt changed his life style.}Matt changed his life style. He stopped doing some things and started doing other things:
{tooltip}Key.{end-link}He used to go to bed early.
He didn’t use to go out in the evening.
He used to run three miles every morning.
He didn’t use to spend much money. /… a lot of money.{end-tooltip}

Write sentences about Matt with used to and didn’t use to.
1  He used to study hard.                      
2  He didn’t use to sleep late.               
3                                                  
4                                                  
5                                                  
6                                                   {/slide} {slide=3 Compare what Karen said five years ago and what she says today.}

Compare what Karen said five years ago and what she says today: {tooltip}Key.{end-link}She used to have lots of friends, but she doesn’t know many people these days. She used to be very lazy, but she works very hard these days. She didn’t use to like cheese, but she eats lots of cheese now. She used to be a hotel receptionist, but she works in a bookshop now. She used to play the piano, but she hasn’t played the piano for years. She never used to read newspapers, but she reads a newspaper every day now. She didn’t use to drink tea, but she likes it now. She used to have a dog, but it died two years ago. She used to go to a lot of parties, but she hasn’t been to a party for ages.{end-tooltip}
Now write sentences about how Karen has changed. Use used to / didn’t use to / never used to in the first part of your sentence.
1    She used to travel a lot,                2    She used                                       3    ______________________________ 4    ______________________________ 5    ______________________________ 6    ______________________________ 7    ______________________________ 8    ______________________________ 9    ______________________________ 10  ______________________________	but  she doesn’t go away mush these days.        but ______________________________________ but ______________________________________ but ______________________________________ but ______________________________________ but ______________________________________ but ______________________________________ but ______________________________________ but ______________________________________ but ______________________________________

{/slide}

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