USUALLY

& USED TO

Juan Jos Lpez Moro

USED TO: FORM

+

I
You
He
She used to smoke
It
We
You
They

I
You
He
She didnt use to
It
smoke.
We
You
They

I
you
he use to
Did she smoke?
it
we
you
they

Short Answers:

Yes, I did.

No, I didnt.

Juan Jos Lpez Moro

USAGE

Used to + infinitive only exists in the past.

It refers to past habits and states: if we say that
somebody used to do something, we mean that
some time ago he did it habitually, but that he
does not do it now.
You can also use the past simple here.
We often use notany more/any longer (= not
now) with the present simple to contrast with
used to
I used to go to the gym but I dont any more.
Juan Jos Lpez Moro

PRESENT HABITS

There is no present form for used to.

To express the same idea in the present,
use usually & the present simple :
e.g.: I (usually) cook in the evenings.
Do you usually walk to work?

Juan Jos Lpez Moro

WATCH OUT!!

Dont confuse this form with the past of the verb

use > used. Their meaning is different as well as
their pronunciation.
Dont confuse this form with be / get used to
something = it is not new or strange for me.
Compare:
I used to smoke. (Sola fumar)
I used my dictionary. (Us el diccionario)
Im used to driving on the left. (Estoy
acostumbrado a conducir por la izquierda)
Juan Jos Lpez Moro

EXAMPLES
Study these examples:
Lucy stopped smoking two years ago. She
doesnt smoke any more.
BUT she used to smoke. She used to smoke
40 cigarettes a day.
She used to smoke= She smoked regularly
some time in the past, but she doesnt smoke
now. She was a smoker but now she isnt.

Juan Jos Lpez Moro

TIME LINE

Lucy used to smoke. She used to smoke

40 cigarettes a day. She stopped smoking
two years ago. She doesnt smoke any
more.
She used to smoke

past

She doesnt smoke

2 years ago

now

Juan Jos Lpez Moro

PRONUNCIATION

Note that the affirmative form (used to) and the

negative and interrogative forms (use to) are
pronounced the same:

/ju:st/

The past tense of the verb to use is

pronounced differently:

/ju:zd/
Juan Jos Lpez Moro