Easy Word | Luyện ngữ pháp


Luyện ngữ pháp - English Grammar in Use - Intermediate (Unit 18: Used to))


A

Study this example situation:

Nicola doesn't travel much these days.
She prefers to stay at home.

But she used to travel a lot.
She used to go away two or three times a year.

She used to travel a lot = she travelled a lot often in the past, but she doesn't do this any more.

B Something used to happen = it happened often in the past, but no longer happens:
  • used to play tennis a lot, but I don't play very much now.
  • David used to spend a lot of money on clothes. These days he can't afford it.
  • 'Do you go to the cinema much?'  'Not now, but I used to.' (= I used to go)

We also use used to ... for things that were true, but are not true any more:
  • This building is now a furniture shop. It used to be a cinema.
  • used to think Mark was unfriendly, but now I realise he's a very nice person.
  • I've started drinking tea recently. I never used to like it before.
  • Lisa used to have very long hair when she was a child.
C

'I used to do something' is past. There is no present. You cannot say  'I use to do'.
To talk about the present, use the present simple (I do).

Compare:

past he used to play we used to live there used to be
present he plays we live there is

  • We used to live in a small village, but now we live in London.
  • There used to be four cinemas in the town. Now there is only one.
D 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 used not to like him.)
E Compare I used to do and I was doing:
  • used to watch TV a lot. (= I watched TV often in the past, but I no longer do this)
  • was watching TV when Rob called. (= I was in the middle of watching TV)
F Do not confuse I used to do and I am used to doing (see Unit 61). The structures and meanings are different:
  • used to live alone. (= I lived alone in the past, but I no longer live alone)
  • am used to living alone. (= I live alone, and I don't find it strange or difficult because I've been living alone for some time)


Các task khác trong bài học