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Cambridge 18

The document discusses the use of the phrase "used to" to talk about past habitual actions or states that are no longer true. Specifically: 1) "Used to" describes something that happened regularly in the past but does not happen anymore, such as "I used to travel a lot but don't anymore." 2) It can also refer to things that were previously true but are no longer the case, like "This building used to be a cinema." 3) The present simple form "use" is incorrect - we only say "used to" for past actions or states.

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Wishva Janith
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215 views4 pages

Cambridge 18

The document discusses the use of the phrase "used to" to talk about past habitual actions or states that are no longer true. Specifically: 1) "Used to" describes something that happened regularly in the past but does not happen anymore, such as "I used to travel a lot but don't anymore." 2) It can also refer to things that were previously true but are no longer the case, like "This building used to be a cinema." 3) The present simple form "use" is incorrect - we only say "used to" for past actions or states.

Uploaded by

Wishva Janith
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Unit

18 Use to (do)
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A Study this examples situation:


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

But she use to travel a lot.


She use 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:
 I 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 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.
 I used to think Mark was unfriendly, but now I realize 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.

‘I used to do something’ is past. There is no present. You cannot say ‘I use to do’.
C
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 small village, but now we live in London.


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

1
D The normal question form is did (you) use to….?
 We used to live in small village, but now we live in London.
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.)

E Compare I used to do and I was doing.


 I used to watch TV a lot. (= I watched TV often in the past, but I no longer do
this)
 I was watching TV when Rob called. (=I was in the middle of watching TV)

Do not confuse I used to do and I am used to doing (see Unit 61). The structures and
F
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 along. (= I live alone, and I don’t find it strange or difficult
because I’ve been living alone for some time)

2
Exercises
18.1 Complete the sentences with use(d) to + a suitable verb.
1. Nicola doesn’t travel much now. She used to travel a lot, but last at home these
days.
2. Sophie …………………………….. a motorbike, but last year she sold it and
bought a car.
3. We moved to Spain a few years ago. We …………………… in Paris.
4. I rarely eat ice-cream now, but I ………………….. it when I was a child.
5. Jackie …………………… my best friend, but we aren’t good friends any
more.
6. It only takes me about 40 minutes to get to work now that the new road is
open. it ……………………….. more than an hour.
7. There ……………………… a hotel near the airport, but it closed a long time
ago.
8. When you lived in New York, ………………………. to the theater very often?

18.2 Compare what Karen said five years ago and what she says today:

1. She used to travel a lot, but she doesn’t go away much these days.
2. She used ………………… but ………………………………………
3. ……………………………………… but ………………………………………
4. ……………………………………… but ………………………………………
5. ……………………………………… but ………………………………………

3
6. ……………………………………… but ………………………………………
7. ……………………………………… but ………………………………………
8. ……………………………………… but ………………………………………
9. ……………………………………… but ………………………………………
10. ……………………………………… but ………………………………………

17.3 Write sentences about yourself like the examples. Begin I used to…. (I used to
be/ work/like/play/read etc.)
1. I used to live in a small village, but now I live in London.
2. I used to play tennis a lot, but I don’t play any more.
3. I used …………………………………, but ……………………………………
4. I ………………………………………………………………………………….
5. …………………………………………………………………………………..
Now begin with I didn’t use to
6. I didn’t use to read a lot, but I do now………………………………..
7. I didn’t ………………………………………………………………………….
8. …………………………………………………………………………………..

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