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Used To

1 min
B1
CEFR B1·tenses
Time frame
past habit (ended)
PastNowFuture

Formula

I / You / He / She / It / We / They
used to

Examples

Positive
I used to play football every weekend.
Negative
She didn't use to like vegetables, but now she loves them.
Question
Did you use to live here?

Common Time Markers

when I was young
as a child
in the past
back then

Usage

  • •Past habits or repeated actions that no longer happen
  • •Past states that are no longer true
  • •Contrasting the past with the present

More Examples

  • We used to go camping every summer.

    Regular past habit, no longer done

  • He used to be very shy.

    Past state that has changed

  • I didn't use to enjoy cooking, but I do now.

    Past habit contrasted with present reality

  • Did she use to have long hair?

    Question about a past state

Common Mistakes

  • ✗"Used to" is only past — there is no present form: "I use to eat there" is wrong. Use Present Simple for current habits.
  • ✗In questions and negatives, use "use to" (not "used to"): "Did you use to...?" not "Did you used to...?"

Tips

  • ✓"Used to" implies the habit or state has stopped — it automatically signals a contrast with the present.
  • ✓Do not confuse with "be used to + -ing" (= be accustomed to) or "get used to + -ing" (= become accustomed to).

Advanced Notes

"Used to" is exclusively past — there is no present-tense equivalent, which surprises many learners. It implies that the situation has definitely changed, making it stronger than Simple Past for signalling contrast. Native speakers frequently confuse it with two near-homonyms: "be used to + -ing" (= be accustomed to, a state) and "get used to + -ing" (= become accustomed to, a process) — these are completely different grammatically. "Would + infinitive" is a stylistic alternative for past habits only (not states): "We would go camping" ✓ but "He would be shy" ✗.

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Compare With

Past Simple(A1)Past Continuous(A2)