Used To (Past Habits and States)
Use 'used to' to talk about habits or states that were true in the past but are not true now.
Level A2
Other
Summary
- Use 'used to' to talk about habits or states that were true in the past but are not true now.
Structure
subject + used to + base verb
Examples
- I used to play the piano when I was a child.
- There used to be a cinema on this street.
- She used to smoke, but she quit last year.
- Did you use to walk to school?
Common mistakes
- • In questions and negatives, drop the -d: NOT 'Did you used to' → 'Did you use to.'
- • Don't use 'used to' for present habits: NOT 'I used to go to the gym now' → 'I usually go to the gym now.'
Related
More other
Plural and Quantifiers: Some / Any
A1
Use 'some' in positive sentences and offers/requests, and 'any' in negatives and most questions. They work with plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns.
Comparatives and Superlatives
A2
Use comparatives to compare two things and superlatives to compare three or more. Short adjectives add -er/-est; longer ones use more/most.
Quantifiers: Much / Many / A Lot Of
A2
Use 'many' with countable nouns and 'much' with uncountable nouns, especially in questions and negatives. 'A lot of' works with both and is common in positive sentences.
Question Formation
B1
Form most questions by inverting the subject and an auxiliary verb (be, do, have, or a modal). Wh- words (what, where, when, why, how) go at the start.
Gerunds vs Infinitives
B2
Some verbs are followed by a gerund (-ing form) and others by an infinitive (to + verb). The choice depends on the first verb, and a few verbs change meaning depending on which form follows.
Phrasal Verbs (Introduction)
B1
A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a particle (like up, off, on, out) that often creates a new meaning. Some can be separated by their object, and some cannot.