Grammar Practice in Context - David Bolton, Noel Goodey 1997

36 Used to: I used to smoke

Quick reference

• We use used to + infinitive to talk about a habit or a regular activity in the past that doesn’t happen now (or that might or might not happen now).

/ used to smoke, but I don’t now. My father used to be a professional footballer.

• Note the question form did I/you/etc. use to + infinitive.

Did you use to eat frogs ’ legs when you lived in France?

Did your parents use to criticise you a lot when you were young?

• Note the negative forms didn’t use to or used not to and never used to + infinitive.

Laura drinks beer now. - Does she? She didn’t use to/used not to like it. She never used to drink it.

1 Oliver Stratton is telling a journalist how his life has changed. Complete the sentences about his past with used to.

Example: I live in London now. (Manchester) I used to live in Manchester.

1 I’m a professional actor now. (history teacher) ...

2 I travel a lot now. (not travel/much) ...

3 I often go abroad now. (never go abroad) ...

4 I’ve got a lot of friends. (not have/many) ...

5 (never like/getting up in the morning) Now I look forward to each day. ...

6 (not like/hard work) Now I enjoy it ...

7 (My old pupils/not be/interested in me) Now they ask for my autograph! ...

2 Neil and Sue are both 30. They are talking about the time when they were teenagers. Use forms of used to to complete their conversation.

Sue: My parents were very strict. They never (1) ... trust me.

Neil: Didn’t they? What (2) ... do?

Sue: Whenever I went out, they (3) ... ask me where I was going.

Neil: (4) ... let you go out with boys?

Sue: No, they didn’t. All my friends (5) ... go out with boys. I (6) ... envy them.

Neil: (7) ... get angry?

Sue: Yes, I did. I (8) ... have arguments with them. And I often (9) ... speak to them for days.

Neil: My parents were the same. They found relationships with the opposite sex very embarrassing. They (10) ... talk about them. They (11) ... make me feel

guilty if I wanted to go out with a girl. I (12) ... get very angry with them sometimes.

3 Have your tastes and habits changed? Write five sentences about things you used to do and that you do not do now, and five sentences about things you did not use to do and that you do now. Check your answers with a teacher.

Examples: I used to smoke a lot. I didn't use to read much, but I read a lot now.