Used to, Be used to, Get used to: constructions with used to in English - rules of use, examples. Equivalents of the grammatical construction used to

For those learning English, it can be difficult to master the “used to, be/get used to” rule. Many people simply confuse similar-sounding designs. To use these phrases correctly, you need to understand what they mean.

Past habits

Expression usedto denotes actions that often happened in the past, but are no longer happening. Usually the construction is translated as “before”, “once upon a time”.

I used to go for a walk every morning. Unfortunately,Ihavenotimenow. - I used to go for a walk every morning. Unfortunately, I don't have time for this now.

He used to be a shop-assistant. Nowisamillionaire. - He was once a salesman, but now he is a millionaire.

In this case we are only talking about past habits, so the verb cannot be used in the present tense. In other words, you cannot say “use to”. The rules of use require the verb to be placed in Past Simple. If we need to talk about the habits that exist on at the moment, use the Present Simple.

I used to eat bananas for breakfast. - EarlierIateonbreakfastbananas.

Iusuallyeatbananasforbreakfast. - I usually eat bananas for breakfast.

Please note: after the particle to is always used as an infinitive. Other forms of the verb are not allowed here.

My sister used to be a naughty child. - Mysisterwasnaughtychild.

Let's continue to look at the rule. Usedto used not only in affirmative sentences. We can safely construct a negative or interrogative sentence.

In the question, the first place is given did, followed by subject and use to. The past tense is taken over by the auxiliary verb, so the initial form should be used useto.

Didsheusetowakeupearlywhenshewenttoschool? - Did she have a habit of getting up early when she went to school?

Did they use to spend vacation together? - EarlierTheycarried outtogethervacation?

IN negative sentences a particle is added to the auxiliary verb not, A useto also placed in the initial form.

I didn’t use to smoke when I was a schoolboy. - INotsmoked, WhenwalkedVschool.

Shedidn'ttusetoplaygolf. - She hasn't played golf before.

Used to or would?

When it comes to old habits, Sometimes they use another expression - would.

Kate would go to a swimming pool once a week. - EarlierKatewentVpoolonceVa week.

Remember an important rule: usedto can indicate both an action and a state.

Action: Myparentsdidn'ttusetogotoagym. - My parents never went to the gym before.

State: John didn'tusetoloveRockmusic. - John once didn’t like rock music.

Would only indicates a repeated action in the past. It is not used to describe a condition.

My friend used to go shopping every weekend. Myfriendwouldgoshoppingeveryweekend. - My friend used to go shopping every weekend.

But you can't say: John would love Rock music. In this sentence you should use usedto.

Would can also describe actions that occurred from time to time (often with an element of nostalgia). Good translation in this case the word “happened” is used.

InmychildhoodIwouldgoforapicnicalmosteveryweekend. - As a child, I used to go on a picnic almost every weekend.

If you do not specify the frequency of the action, use usedto, not would.

Whenhewasachildheusedtowakeuplate. - He woke up late when he was a child (general situation, regularity not specified).

Whenhewasachildhewouldwakeuplateatweekends. - When he was a child, he woke up late on the weekends (how often the action was performed is indicated).

Have a habit of doing something

Let's look at one more rule. Used to often confused with to be used to. However, they have completely different meanings. Expression tobeusedto means “to have the habit of doing something”, and it can be replaced by a synonymous construction tobeaccustomedto. Formerly a man He didn’t do that, but now his lifestyle has changed.

Heisusedtogettingupat 9am. - He’s used to getting up at 9 am (he didn’t do that before).

Since we are talking about a habit that a person has at the moment, the verb tobe It’s logical to put it in the present tense. For past habits, use an expression we already know usedto/didn"t use to. Compare:

My brother didn't use to eat healthy food. - MyBrotherearlierNotateusefulfood.

Now he is used to eating healthy food. - NowHeused to itThere isusefulfood.

Don't forget to put the particle to- there is no expression useddoing. The rule also requires the use of a gerund rather than an infinitive.

Jesse is used to making his bed in the morning. - Jesseused to itcoverbedByin the morning.

I am used to go to school on my foot. - II'm used to itwalkVschoolon foot.

Get used to something

Phrase togetusedto very close in value to the previous design. But there is a certain connotation of meaning - “get used to”, “get used to”, “adapt”. In this case, the synonymous construction will be tobecomeaccustomedto.

It is difficult to get used to a new climate. - TOnewclimatedifficultadapt.

Here we are talking about a habit that is just beginning to form.

He is getting used to doing the laundry twice a week. - Heaccustomsmyselfwashclothestwicefora week.

After the particle to a gerund should also be included.

TheyaregettingusedtospeakingChinese - They get used to speaking Chinese.

In what grammatical tense should I put getusedto? The rule allows you to use any tense that makes sense.

Ittookhersometimetogetusedtonewtraditions. - It took some time before she got used to the new traditions.

In a few weeks you will get used to the local cuisine. - Througha coupleweeksYouyou'll get used to itTolocalkitchen.

Exercises

We have analyzed the use in detail usedto/beusedto/getusedto. The rule separates these constructions in meaning and grammatically. Practice using them in practice. Paste suitable words into the text. Remember to choose the right time.

1. Jane -_ smoke a lot. Then she quit it. - Jen used to smoke a lot. But then she quit smoking.
2. I see you -_ new rules. Keep it up! - I see you are getting used to the new rules. Keep it up!
3. How long did it take him to _ living in the suburbs? How long did it take him to get used to life in the suburbs?
4. You_be very hardworking. You have become a lazybones! -You were such a hard worker. You have turned into a lazy person!
5. We_speaking two languages. - We are used to speaking two languages.
6. He_coming in time. - He taught himself to be on time.
7. I_drinking tea. Coffee is bad for my health. - I have become a habit of drinking tea. Coffee is bad for me.
8. Why don’t you _ putting fewer spices in your food. I can't eat it! - Why don’t you train yourself to put less spices in your food! I can't eat this!
9. I _ sweeping the floor every day. - I'm used to sweeping the floor every day.
10. I_his pronunciation. Does anyone understand what he says? - I can’t get used to his pronunciation. Does anyone even understand what he's saying?
11. Monika _ be a doctor, but she has already retired. - Monica once worked as a doctor. But she is already a pensioner.
12. We _ ​​be friends. Then something went wrong. - We were friends. But then something went wrong.

We use used to when we refer to things in the past which are no longer true. It can refer to repeated actions or to a state or situation:

He used to play football for the local team, but he’s too old now.

That white house over there used to belong to my family.(It belonged to my family in the past, but not any more.)

Warning:

In statements, the form used to does not change. We don't use the verb be before it. It always refers to past time:

We used to go to the seaside every summer when I was a kid.

Not: We are used to go … or We use to go … or We were used to go …

Negative: didn't use to

The negative of used to is most commonly didn't use(d) to. Sometimes we write it with a final -d, sometimes not. Both forms are common, but many people consider the form with the final -d

It didn't use to be so crowded in the shops as it is nowadays.

I didn't used to like broccoli when I was younger, but I love it now.(Don’t use this form in exams.)

In very formal styles, we can use the negative form used not to:

She used not to live as bad as she does now.

Questions

The most common form of question is auxiliary did + use(d) to. Many people consider the form with a final -d to be incorrect, and you should not use it in exams:

I think we met once, a couple of years ago. Did you use to work with Kevin Harris?

Didn't she used to live in the same street as us?

Emphatic did

We can use the emphatic auxiliary did with used to:

We never used to mix very much with the neighbors, but we did used to say hello to them in the street.(Don’t use this form in written exams.)

We normally make tags after used to with auxiliary did:

He used to be your boss, did he?

We used to love going to the museum, didn't we?

Used to or would?

We can use used to or would to talk about people’s habits in the past. When we use them both together, used to most commonly comes first, as it sets the scene for the actions being reported:

When we were kids, we used to invent amazing games. We would imagine we were the government and we would make crazy laws that everyone had to obey.

Used to, but not would, can describe a state or situation which is no longer true:

We used to live in Manchester.

Not: We would live in Manchester.

'The Townhouse' used to be a Greek restaurant. It's Italian now.

Not: ‘The Townhouse’ would be a Greek restaurant…

Used to or be used to?

Used to refers to actions and situations in the past which no longer happen or are no longer true. It always refers to the past:

She used to sing in a choir, but she gave it up.(She sang, but she doesn’t sing any more)

Be used to means ‘be accustomed to’ or ‘be familiar with’. It can refer to the past, present or future. We follow be used to with a noun phrase, a pronoun or the -ing form of a verb:

I work in a hospital, so I 'm used to long hours.(I am accustomed to/familiar with long hours.)

She lives in a very small village and hates traffic. She 's not used to it.

He was a salesman, so he was used to traveling up and down the country.(He was accustomed to/was familiar with traveling.)

We can also say get used to or (more formally) become used to:

University is very different from school, but don’t worry. You'll soon get used to it.(or, more formally, You'll soon become used to it.)

IN English, especially in colloquial speech, often used turnover used to. You may hear it in a conversation, in a film, on the radio, in a newspaper or work of art. In fact, these are three similar, but having different meaning turnover: . And none of these options have the meaning “to use something”, like the verb to use. Let's look at these turns in more detail.

Table: used to \ be used to \ get used to – rules and examples

This table shows diagrams, meanings, examples of the use of three types of sentences with used to. More detailed analysis read below.

Used to – action in the past

Offers with used to are built according to the following scheme: I used to do something.

Where instead I there can be any other subject: he, she, they, Boris, my friend, etc., but instead to do– any action expressed in the initial form, including instead to do verb can be used to be(be). Revolution is used only in the past tense.

Turnover used to used in two cases.

1. The action took place some time in the past, but is no longer happening

Please note that the time period is not precisely outlined (earlier, when I was young, years ago, etc.)

Examples:

I used to smoke a lot but now I don’t. - I do a lot smoked, but now I don’t smoke.

Martin used to gamble when he was younger. – Martin played V gambling, when I was younger.

Smoking a lot is an action that took place long time in the past, and the period of time is not specifically defined. Now this action no longer occurs (“now I don’t smoke”).

Gambling is also an action belonging to the past. The time period has blurred boundaries (“when he was younger”). In this example, it is not directly stated that Martin no longer plays, but this is clear to the interlocutor without further clarification, because this implies the turnover itself used to.

A very commonly used pattern is the type I used to be, that is, the verb “to be” is used as a verb in this scheme.

You used to be smarter. -You were smarter.

There used to be a farm here but now there is a mall. “There used to be a farm here, and now there’s a shopping center here.”

I used to be an adventurer like you then I took an arrow in the knee. “I was also an adventurer like you, but then I was wounded in the knee by an arrow.”

2. The action in the past was ordinary, repeated

In my childhood I used to read fairy tales. – As a child, I read fairy tales.

This means: I used to, had the habit of reading fairy tales, read them from time to time.

When Elvis sang, he used to take off his scarf and give it to girls in the audience. – When Elvis sang, he took off his scarf and gave it to the girls in the audience.

What I mean is that Elvis had this habit, he did this often.

Please note that in this case you can use not only used to, but also a verb. The form is also sometimes used in this meaning, but this option is less common.

In my childhood I used to read fairy tales = In my childhood I would read fairy tales.

When Elvis sang, he used to take off his scarf and give it to girls in the audience = When Elvis sang, he would take off his scarf and give it to girls in the audience.

Verb be used to – have a habit

Sentences with this turnover are constructed according to the following schemes: I am used to do something or I am used to something.

Instead of I any other subject can be used. Instead of doing– verb with ending -ing. Not only a verb can act as a verb, but also or.

Turnover be used to Means have a habit of something. Unlike used to do something, this phrase can be used in the past and present tense.

Examples with verb object:

I am used to reading only the English Wikipedia, although my native language is Russian. - I used to it read only English-language Wikipedia, although my native language is Russian.

My friend was used to living in a small town. - My friend used to it live in a small town.

Examples with a noun and pronoun object:

That job is ok for me, I 'm used to hard work. - This job will suit me, I used to it to hard work.

I don't want to move, I 'm used to my apartment. - I don’t want to move, I used to it to your apartment.

I 'm used to it. - I used to it to this.

Verb get used to – to get used to something

Offers with turnover get used to are constructed with a verb, noun or pronoun as an object, mainly in the past and future tenses. Means: acquire a habit. Don't have a habit like be used to, namely, to acquire.

That's what we eat for dinner. Get used to it. - This is what we eat for lunch. Get used to it.

I got used to living in Canada in spite of the cold weather. - I used to it live in Canada despite the cold weather.

He doesn’t like his new job but he will get used to it. - He doesn’t like it new job, but he is to her will get used to it.

Interrogative and negative forms

Interrogatives and negative forms offers from used to, be used to, get used to are built according to the following schemes:

I also note that questions with used to are rarely asked. As a rule, a question can be built, for example, in or, and the answer sounds already with used to.

Let's imagine the situation. John and Mark started talking about tennis. It turned out that Mark is well versed in the topic. Naturally, John assumed that Mark was interested in tennis.

John: Do you play tennis? - Do you play tennis?

Mark: I used to. But then I had an injury. – Played (before). But then I got injured.

It would be strange if John asked this question: Did you use to play tennis? He assumed that Mark plays tennis, but I didn’t play once, and then stopped.

The path of the English language throughout history has always been thorny.

Since the reign British Empire it has become widespread and accessible for development ordinary people in many countries.

Now English has its own structured learning system, like any other language of civilized countries. And always, along with the rules, there are exceptions that give the language a certain flexibility.

One of these exceptions will be discussed now.

The phrase “Used to” as a verb (Verb)

This turn indicates something that happened regularly in the past, but is not happening now. For example, these could be certain habits, conditions, or repeated routine actions:

• I used to train every day when I was in the team – I trained every day when I was on the team. (I had a habit)
• She used to live in Manchester – She used to live in Manchester. (state)
• Every day she used to say him, “Good morning, my dear” - Every day she told him: “ Good morning, Expensive ". (routine action)

The phrase “Used to” as an adjective

In its own way, used to can act as an adjective and is literally translated as “accustomed to”:

• His neighbors made noise every weekend. But he’s used to it – His neighbors made noise every weekend. But he's used to it.
• They lived nightlife and are used to it – They lived nightlife and got used to it.

The phrase “Used to” in negative and interrogative forms

I would like to say that when composing such forms, English speakers often use a simple “used to” without a phrase. But at the same time, sometimes sentences with this turn of phrase slip through.

The negative form (Negative) is formed in 2 ways:

1. With auxiliary verb did and particles not:

didn’t + use to + infinitive

• He didn’t use to like me, but then he changed his mind - He didn’t like me, but then he changed his mind
• I’m surprised that they joined the hockey club. I remembered they didn’t use to like hockey – I’m surprised that they joined the hockey club. I remember they didn't like hockey.

In most cases, we can use never instead of didn't:

• He didn't use to work so much
• He never used to work so much

2. With the verb to be and the particle not:

to be + not + used to

• He’s not used to the new order - He is not used to the new order.
• I’m not used to her - I’m not used to her.

Question form.

Did + subject + use to + infinitive … ?

• Did you use to travel a lot before you get this job? – (did you have the habit of traveling?)
• Did you use to spend hours in front of the mirror when you were young?

Also, “used to” can always be combined with special questions:

• Where did he use to spend time at nights? – Where is he used to spending time at night?
• What did you use to relax when you were a teenager? – How did you usually relax when you were a teenager?

"Used to" and "would"

In some cases, we can replace used to with the verb would if we are talking exclusively about habits:

• I used to get up early when I’ve worked in the police
• I would get up early when I’ve worked in the police

"Get used to"

A similar phrase shows the process of getting used to something and can be used at any time:

• We got used to live here yet – We are already used to living here
• Well I am getting used to tropical climate – Well, I’m already getting used to the tropical climate
• I think that I will get used to new homeland – I think I’ll get used to the new home

"Be used to + gerund"

Unlike the phrase “used to + verb,” which indicated habits that were acquired in the past and remained there, this phrase indicates habits that were acquired in the past and are in effect now:

• I'm used to working at night. (I'm used to working at night)
• I used to work at night. (I used to work at night, but now I don't work)

In conclusion, I would like to mention one nuance. Sometimes people seem to say "use to" instead of "used to". This is all due to the fact that when used to is said, the last “d” is pronounced like a t, and the next word “to” begins with the same sound. That's why it sounds like one t. When speaking, we often pronounce words quickly, which is why they stick together.

We also recommend watching this short video tutorial from our buddy James

Affirmative form:

used to + infinitive
I used to go there in my childhood.
Ann used to have headaches, now she feels quite well.

Question form – spoken English:
Did...use to?
Did...used to?
Did you use to read a lot?
Did he use to do that?
Did he used to do that?

Question form – formal and written English:
Used... to...?
Used to do that?

Negative form – spoken English:
didn't use to...
used not to...
I didn't use to read a lot.
He didn't use to do that.
He didn't used to do that(more often they say He never used to do that)

Negative form – formal and written English:

used not to...
usedn't to...
I used not to do that.
I usedn't to do that.

Used to + infinitive used only in the past tense (not in the present tense). You cannot say “I use to do”. For the present tense, the present simple (I do) is used.
Comparative sentences for present and past tense:

past: He used to play tennis there. “He used to play tennis there.”
present: He plays tennis there. – He plays tennis there.

Use of the phrase used to

1. Used to used to describe events that occurred regularly in the past and then stopped, either temporarily or permanently. The phrase used to is also used to describe states that occurred in the past and then changed (at least for a while):
I used to go to the south with my parents when a child. – When I was a child, my parents and I traveled to the south.(meaning repeatedly, perhaps every summer)

2. Used to can also be used to describe a situation that existed in the past (and no longer exists):
We used to live in Spain but now we live in France. – We used to live in Spain, and now in France.
There used to be a garden in front of the house, now you can see a restaurant in its place. “There used to be a garden in front of the house, but now there’s a restaurant there.”

Note: should not be confused used to do And be used to/get used to. They differ in both design and meaning, see, as well as reverse used to and verb would: cm.