Used to ( I used to do )

UNIT 24 Used to (I used to do)

A.   Study this example situation:

This is Dennis. He gave up smoking two years ago. He no longer smokes.

But he used to smoke. He used to smoke 40 cigarettes a day.

He used to smoke means that he smoked regularly for some time in the past, but he doesn't smoke now.

We use used to with the base form (used to do /used to smoke, etc.) to say that something happened regularly in the past but no longer happens:

• I used to play tennis a lot, but now I'm too lazy.

• "Do you go to the movies very often?''         ''Not now, but I used to.''

• Sue used to travel a lot. These days she doesn't go away very often.

We also use used to for past situations (that no longer exist):

• We used to live in a small village, but now we live in Milan.

• This building is now a furniture store. It used to be a movie theater.

• Do you see that hill over there? There used to be a castle on that hill.

• I've started drinking tea lately. I never used to like it before.

• Ann used to have long hair, but she cut it some time ago.                           

B.   Used to + base form is always past. There is no present. You cannot say ''I use to do." For the present, use the simple present (I do). Compare the present and past:

past                       he used to smoke                    we used to live                         there used to be

present                 he smokes                                 we live                                         there is



C.   The normal question form is did . . . use to . . . ?

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

The negative form is didn't use to . . . (or never used to)

• Jim didn't use to go out very often until he met Jill. (or never used to go out)

D.   Be careful not to confuse I used to do and I am used to doing. The structures
and meanings are different:

• I used to live alone. (= I lived alone but I no longer live alone.)

• I am used to living alone (= I live alone and don't find it strange or new because I've been living alone for some time.)