Used To: Talking About Past Habits and States
We use 'used to' plus the base verb to talk about things that were true in the past but aren't anymore, like a habit we've stopped or a state that has changed: 'I used to live in Spain' (but I don't now) and 'She used to play tennis' (it was her habit before). The tricky part is questions and negatives: after 'did', the word drops its -d, so we say 'Did you use to smoke?' and 'I didn't use to', never 'Did you used to'. Don't confuse 'used to' (past habits) with 'be used to' (= be accustomed to), which is followed by an -ing form, as in 'I'm used to working late'. Once you hear the difference, 'used to' becomes one of the most natural ways to describe how life was different before.
Examples
- I used to live in Spain. the speaker lived in Spain in the past, not now
- She used to play tennis. tennis was a past habit of hers
- Did you use to smoke? asking about a past habit
The full lesson
Everything in the video, in text.
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Did you used to smoke? Sounds fine, right? It's wrong. One little letter gives you away.
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Used to plus a base verb describes a past habit or state that isn't true anymore. You did it before, but not now.
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Here's the idea in action. I used to live in Spain. It means you lived there before, but you don't now.
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It works for habits too. She used to play tennis. Tennis was a regular thing for her, but she's stopped.
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Now the part everyone gets wrong. In questions and negatives, you use did — and used drops its -d. It becomes plain use to.
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So the question is: Did you use to smoke? Did already carries the past, so use stays plain.
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This is the slip to avoid. Did you used to doubles the past — did plus the -d. Keep it Did you use to.
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One more trap. Used to is not be used to. Be used to means be accustomed to something, and it takes -ing. I'm used to waking up early.
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Quick recap. Used to plus a base verb is a past habit that's over. With did, drop the -d. And be used to plus -ing is a different verb entirely.