18. USED TO (DO) ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE FOR INTERMEDIATE

ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE FOR INTERMEDIATE

18. USED TO (DO)

A	Study this example situation: ·         Nicola 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 often in the past, but she doesn't do this any more.
B	Something used to happen = it happened often in the past, but no longer happens: ·         I used to play tennis a lot, but I don't play very much 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. ·         Lisa used to have very long hair when she was a child.
C	'I used to do something' is past. There is no present. You cannot say 'I use to do'. To talk about the present, use the present simple (1 do). Compare: past he used to play we used to live there used to be present he plays we live 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.
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.)
E	Compare I used to do and I was doing: ·         I used to watch TV a lot. (=I watched TV often in the past, but I no longer do this) ·         I was watching TV when Rob called. (= I was in the middle of watching TV)
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

18.1	Complete the sentences with use(d) to+ a suitable verb. 1 Nicola doesn't travel much now. She ___ used to travel ___a lot, but she prefers to stay at home these days. 2 Sophie _______ a motorbike, but last year she sold it and bought a car. 3 We moved to Spain a few years ago. We _______ in Paris. 4 I rarely eat ice-cream now, but I ________ it when I was a child. 5 Jackie _______ my best friend , but we aren't good friends any more. 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?
18.2	Compare what Karen said five years ago and what she says today: 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__________ but _________________she doesn’t go away much these days 2 She used ___________________ but ______________________________________________ 3 ____________________________ but ______________________________________________ 4 ____________________________ but ______________________________________________ 5 ____________________________ but ______________________________________________ 6 ____________________________ but ______________________________________________ 7 ____________________________ but ______________________________________________ 8 ____________________________ but ______________________________________________ 9 ____________________________ but ______________________________________________ 10 ____________________________ but ______________________________________________
18.3	Write sentences about yourself Like the examples. Begin I used to ... (I used to be/work/like/ play/read etc.). 1 I used to live in a small village, but now I live in London. 2 I used to play tennis a lot, but I don’t play any more. 3 I used ___________________________, but __________________________. 4 I _______________________________________________________________ 5 __________________________________________________________________ 6 Now begin with I didn’t use to  ________ I didn’t use to read a lot, but I do now. 7 I didn’t _________________________________________ 8 __________________________________________________________________________

ANSWER KEY

18.1 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 18.2 2-10 • 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. / ... played it for years. • She never used to read /She didn't use 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 18.3 Example answers: 3 I used to be a vegetarian, but now 1 eat meat sometimes. 4 I used to watch TV a lot, but I don't watch it much now. 5 I used to hate getting up early, but now it's no problem. 7 I didn't use to drink coffee, but I drink it every day now. 8 I didn't use to like hot weather, but now I love it.