Grammar

Used To vs Be Used To vs Get Used To

'Used to + verb' describes past habits and states no longer true. 'Be used to + -ing' means being accustomed to something. 'Get used to + -ing' describes the process of becoming accustomed.

Post

Level B2 Modals

Summary

'Used to + verb' describes past habits and states no longer true. 'Be used to + -ing' means being accustomed to something. 'Get used to + -ing' describes the process of becoming accustomed.

Structure

used to + base verb ; be/get used to + noun / -ing

Examples

I used to smoke, but I quit years ago.
She's used to working under pressure.
It took a while to get used to driving on the left.
You'll get used to the cold eventually.

Common mistakes

• Adding 'be/get' to the habit form: 'I am used to smoke' (for a past habit) should be 'I used to smoke'.
• Using a base verb after 'be/get used to': 'used to drive' (accustomed sense) should be 'used to driving'.

More modals

Can / Could (Ability and Permission) A2

Use 'can' for present ability and informal permission or requests. Use 'could' for past ability and for more polite requests.

Must / Have To (Obligation) B1

Use 'must' and 'have to' to express obligation or necessity. 'Mustn't' means something is forbidden, while 'don't have to' means there is no obligation.

May / Might (Possibility) B1

Use 'may' and 'might' to talk about present or future possibility. 'May' is also used for formal permission.

Would for Past Habits B2

Use 'would' to talk about repeated past actions and habits, similar to 'used to'. Unlike 'used to', 'would' is not normally used for past states.

Would (Polite Requests and Hypotheticals) B1

Use 'would' for polite requests and offers, for hypothetical results (especially in conditionals), and to describe imagined situations.

Can and Can't for Ability A1

Use 'can' to say someone is able to do something and 'can't' for inability. 'Can' is followed by the base form of the verb and stays the same for all subjects.

External links

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