11A - Ask the teacher
How to use “Used To” and “Didn’t Use To”
Past habits or actions:
We use “used to” and “didn’t use to” for things that we often repeated, but we don’t do anymore.
Examples:
- I used to play tennis. (I don’t do it anymore)
- I didn’t use to go to the gym. (I do now)
- I used to wake up early every morning (Now I sleep in)
- My friend and I used to have breakfast together every morning. (Now we don’t)
- They used to play the violin in the street under my house. (Now they don’t)
Past state or situation
We use “used to” or “didn’t use to” for something that was true in the past, but it’s not true now.
- I used to live in japan. (Now I live in Argentina.)
- I didn’t use to live in Argentina. (I do now)
- I used to have five cats. (One of them died.)
- Did you use to be friends? (You aren’t friends now.)
- Children didn’t use to have phones. (Now they do.)
Form
Positive: Subject + used to + verb. Negative: Subject + didn’t use to + verb. Question: Did + Subject + use to + verb?
Tip: “Get used to” has another meaning, it means to familiarize or adapt to something.