Past habit: used to
FORM:
Positive statements: used to + infinitive
Negative statements: Did/didn’t + use to + infinitive
Questions: Did you/she/they etc. + use to + infinitive
USE:
We use used to to talk about past habits and states that do not occur now or no longer exist.
– We used to be driven to school, but now we walk.
– What did people use to do before electricity was invented?
– Ken used to be shy, but he’s more confident since he met Cindy.
Watch out!
1. used to is not used to say how often things happend or how long they took.
2. Be careful not to confuse used to with be/get used to + noun/gerund. This means be/become accustomed to something because you have been doing it for a while.
– I’m used to making my own meals.
– I can’t get used to the cold winters.
– Do you think we’ll ever get used to eating dinner at six o’clock?
Past habit: would
Would is also used to talk about past habits and repeated actions but not about past states.
– When I was little, I would/used to play with my brother’s model cars.
NOT: We would live in a small vilage.
Past habit: past simple
This can also be used to describe past habits and states.
– When I was a child, I walked to school every day.
Present habit: present simple or continuous
To talk about present habits we can use:
present simple, often with a frequency adverb
– I generally park outside the library.
present continous + always
– He’s always going abroad on conferences.
This often suggests an annoying habit.
– My sister is always borrowing my clothes.