(Used to (do

10-31-11

Study this example situation:

Khaled stopped smoking two years ago. He doesn't smoke any more

But he used to smoke.

He used to smoke 40 cigarettes a day.

"He used to smoke" = he smoked regularly sometime in the past,

But he doesn't smoke now. He was a smoker,

But now he isn't.

Past = he used to smoke

Now = he doesn't smoke

"Something used to happen" = something happened regularly in the past

no longer happens:

* I used to play tennis a lot but I don't play very often now.

* Sara used to travel a lot. These days she doesn't go away so often

.

* "Do you go to cinema very often?"

"Not no, but I used to." (= I used to go….)

We also use used to… for something that was true but is not true anymore:

* This building is now a furniture shop. It used to be a cinema.

* I used to think he was unfriendly but now I realise he's a very nice person.

* I've started drinking coffee recently. I never used to like it before.

* Sara used to have very long hair when she was a child.

"I used to do something" is past. There is no present form.

You can't say "I use to do".

To talk about the present, use the present simple (I do).

Compare:

Past: he used to smoke, we used to live, there used to be

Present: he smokes, we live, there is

* We used to live in a small village but now live in Riyadh.

* There used to be four cinemas in town. Now there is only one.

The normal question form is did (you) use to…?:

* Did you use to eat a lot of sweets when you were a child?

The negative form is didn't use to…. (used not to… is also possible)

* I didn't use to like him. (or I used not to like him.)

Compare I used to do and I was doing:

* I used to watch TV a lot. (= I watched TV regularly in the past,

but I no longer do this)

* I was watching TV when the phone rang. (= I was in the middle

of watching TV)

Do not confuse I used to do and I am used to doing.

The structures and meanings are different:

* I used to live alone. (= I lived alone in the past but I no longer live alone)

* I am used to living alone. (= I live alone and I don't find it strange

Or new because I've been living alone for sometime)

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(Used to (do

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