Grammar - Talking about past habits, actions or states with "Used to"

 

We use "used to" in English to talk about past habits, actions, or states that no longer happen or exist in the present. It's a way of describing something that was regular or true in the past but has since changed.

 

 When to Use "Used to"

 

1. Past habits:

   - To describe things we did regularly in the past but don’t do anymore.

   - Example: I used to go jogging every morning, but now I don’t have time.

 

2. Past states:

   - To talk about a condition or situation that existed in the past but doesn’t exist now.

   - Example: She used to have long hair, but now it’s short.

 

 Key Points:

- "Used to" is only for past actions or states.

- It’s not used for single events or for things that are still happening in the present.

- Example: You can't say "I used to eat breakfast yesterday." (Use "I ate breakfast yesterday.")

 

  1. Structure

   Affirmative: 

   Subject + used to + base verb 

   - Example: I used to play football every weekend.

  

   Negative: 

   Subject + didn’t use to + base verb 

   - Example: I didn’t use to like vegetables.

 

   Interrogative: 

   Did + subject + use to + base verb? 

   - Example: Did you use to travel a lot?

 

 2. Sample Sentences

   - Affirmative: She used to live in New York when she was younger.

   - Negative: He didn’t use to enjoy running, but now he does.

   - Interrogative: Did they use to go camping every summer?

 

 3. Useful Expressions

   - I used to... (for past habits or states)

   - Did you use to...? (asking about past habits)

   - I didn’t use to... (describing something you didn’t do in the past but possibly do now)

 

 4. Phrasal Verbs Related to Habits

   - Grow out of: I grew out of playing with toys as I got older.

   - Get into: I got into reading when I was a teenager.

 

 5. Idioms

   - Old habits die hard: Some habits are hard to break.

   - A thing of the past: Something that is no longer common or done.

 

 6. Short Story Using "Used to"

   When I was a child, I used to visit my grandparents every summer. They lived in a small village by the sea, and I used to spend hours exploring the beach, collecting seashells, and listening to the waves. My grandfather used to tell me stories about the ships that sailed past. I didn’t use to like waking up early, but for those trips, I always made an exception. One summer, I noticed that the old lighthouse, where I used to play, had been closed down. Things were changing, and some of the routines we used to follow were fading away, but the memories stayed with me forever.