Level Five
Lesson 62
used to
The phrase “used to” indicates that something happened in the past, but the activity or situation does not exist now.
- Sophia used to live in Somalia. Now she lives in Chicago.
- Mark and Tim used to be friends, but now they don’t talk to each other.
- That restaurant used to serve chicken and beef, but now it’s a vegetarian place.
- I used to smoke, but I quit many years ago.
- Our country used to observe democratic norms, but recently it has become something similar to a dictatorship.
Take Quiz #62 – used to when you finish the lesson.
People used to ride horses for everyday transportation.
Now they ride horses for sport.
62a. used to = finished
Use “used to” for activities and situations that are finished and represent a big change. The past situation may not ever happen again in the future, but there’s a possibility that it will.
- The teacher used to wear glass. Now he doesn’t wear them. Will he go back to wearing glasses?
- Candy bars used to cost ten cents each in the 1980s. Now they cost over a dollar a piece. Will the cost every go back to a dime?
- Ken used to live in Bogota. Now he lives in New York. Will he return to Bogota to live there in the future?
It’s worth noting that the verb “be” is often used with “used to.”
- Victor used to be a waiter before he became a doctor.
- This building used to be a school before it became an apartment building.
- She used to be much lighter than she is now. She can’t lose the extra weight.
- Winston used to be happy, but now he’s depressed all the time.
- Roger used to be successful until he lost his job.
62a. used to = in the past
- The statue of liberty used to stand for freedom and liberty for everyone, especially for people who come here from other countries. Things have really changed since January of 2025.
- He used to be a stockbroker. Then he lost interest in business and went to culinary school to become a chef.
62b. used to - negative
There are three ways to make the negative for “used to.” The easiest way is to put the word “never” before “used to.” The second way is to add “did” and “not” to “use to.” This doesn’t sound as good as the first method. In addition to that, people often use “used to” instead of “use to,” which is a small technical error. The third negative form uses “not” after “used to.”
- It never used to be this warm in the winter here. (This is easier to put together compared to the next example.)
- It didn’t used to be this warm in the past. (or) It didn’t use to be this warm in the past. (The second version is correct because “use to” takes on the properties of a main verb when “did” appears before it.)
- Ursula never used to eat asparagus, but now that she’s more health conscious, she eats it all the time.
- She didn’t use to eat asparagus. (Notice the “d” is removed from “use.”
- She used to not eat asparagus. (This may feel a little awkward, but it’s a fairly common way to make the verb negative. This form splits the infinitive “to eat,” which many people consider to be a mistake.)
62b. used to - negative
- She never used to have trouble thinking of things to write about, but now she’s having a hard time thinking of new ideas.
- Mary didn’t use to ride her bike to work, but now she does it whenever possible.
- Pat used to not take care of his teeth, but after several years of problems with his teeth, he now visits the dentist regularly.
62c. used to - questions
To make a question, use the helping verb “did” with “use to” and then the main verb:
did + subject + use to + main verb (in the simple form)
The way to think of this is “use” and the main verb are both in the simple form after the helping verb, “did.”
- Where did they use to live?
- Did he use to walk to school when he was a boy?
- What kind of bread did people use to eat in the 1800s?
- Did this part of the city used to be farmland?
- Why did he used to do so many dangerous things?
62c. used to - questions
- What did he use to do before he moved to the city?
- How long did great white sharks use to live in this part of the world before they moved to another area?