Every person who learns English, as he mastered the material, had to deal with the mysterious construction used to. If you try to translate it literally, then some kind of nonsense comes out. So let's try to figure out what is its meaning and use?
Construction used to: meanings and forms
First of all, we use used to when we refer to events and situations in the past that are no longer true. With the help of used to we can describe repeated or habitual actions, states or situations that belong to the past tense. For example:
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.
Translation. He used to play football for the local team, but now he is too old for the sport.
This white house used to belong to my family.
In the second sentence, the construction used to expresses the idea that we were the owners of the house in the past, but nowwe are not.
Take note
Used to in affirmative sentences is always used in the Past Simple, the simple past tense. It is also worth noting that we do not use the verb to be before the construction used to in English, because in this case it changes its meaning.
We used to go to the seaside every summer when I was a kid. You cannot say: We are used to go… or We use to go… or We were used to go…
Translation. We went to the sea every summer when I was a child.
Negative used to sentences in English: didn´t use to
Interestingly, the negative form used to has two spelling variations: didn't use and to didn't used to. Both forms are actively used by native speakers, but many linguists consider the -d form to be incorrect, so it is not recommended to use it during exams, tests and tests. For example:
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.
Translation. Stores never used to be as crowded as they are now.
I used to hate broccoli when I was younger, but now I like it.
In very formal styles we can use the negative form used not to:
She used not to live as poorly as she does now.
Translation. She didn't live as bad before as she does now.
Interrogative sentences
The most common formquestion is the construction of the auxiliary verb to do + use (d) to. Keep in mind the two possible forms use to and used to and don't use the second one 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?
Translation. I think we met once, a couple of years ago. Have you worked with Kevin Harris before?
Didn't she live on the same street as us?
Emphasis
Together with the used to construction, we can use the did verb as one of the expressive aids. For example:
We never used to mix very much with the neighbours, but we did used to say hello to them in the street.
Translation. We never talked to our neighbors before, but we said hello to them on the street.
Divisive questions
Disjunction questions along with used to are formed using the auxiliary verb did.
He used to be your boss, did he?
We used to love going to the museum, didn't we?
Translation. He was your boss, wasn't he?
We loved going to the museum, didn't we?
Used to vs. Would?
In English, we can use both used to and would to talk about people's past habits.
When we use them together, the used to clause is usually used before would, as it sets the scene for the reported actions:
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.
Translation. When we were kids, we used to come up with amazing games. We imagined that we were sitting in the government and created crazy laws that everyone had to obey.
Used to can describe a state or situation that is no longer true using state verbs or verbs that are not used in Continious tenses (the use of would with such verbs is illegal). Examples of similar sentences with the construction used to:
We used to live in Manchester. Don't use: We would live in Manchester.
'The Townhouse' used to be a Greek restaurant. It’s Italian now. Do not use: ‘The Townhouse’ would be a Greek restaurant…
Translation. We used to live in Manchester.
Townhouse used to be a Greek restaurant. Now it's Italian.
Used to vs. be/get used to?
Used to is used to refer to past actions and situations that no longer occur or are no longer true. The construction always describes the past tense. For example:
She used to sing in a choir, but she gave it up.
Translation. She sang in the choir, but she gave it up. (She used to sing but doesn't sing anymore)
Be or get used to means to get used to something or to be familiar with something. This construction can be used to describe the past, presentor the future.
According to the rules, be or get used must be followed by a noun, pronoun, or -ing form of the verb.
I work in a hospital, so I'm used to 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.
Translation. I work in a hospital, so I'm used to working long hours. (I know what it's like to work long hours)
She lives in a very small village and hates traffic in big cities. She's not used to it.
He worked as a translator, so traveling the world was nothing new for him – He was used to traveling the world.
We can also use the get used to construct, and in a more formal context, become used to. So, take a look at the following example.
University is very different from school, but don't worry. You'll soon get used to it. More formally: You'll soon become used to it.
Translation. University is very different from high school, but don't worry, you'll get used to it soon.
