You will learn how to:

 Talk about past events.

 Give information about you in past simple.

GUIDE NUMBER 7
I USED TO

USED TO

Used to is a common phrase in English. It is for actions in the past. This lesson shows you how
to use it properly. When you are ready, try the tests at the bottom.

When You Can Use “Used to”

Used to is a phrase used to show something happened in the past but it does not happen any
more. It could be either of these two options:

1. Things in the past that are no longer true

2. Actions you did in the past but not anymore

Used to Structure

Always use a base verb after used to:

Used to + Base Verb

Examples:

I used to live in Japan. Now I live in Canada.

She used to play soccer when she was a child.
There are two different phrases depending on the situation.

Used to is for positive sentences.

I used to play with dolls.

She used to like swimming.

Use to is for negative sentences and questions.

I didn’t use to have a car.

They didn’t use to live in a big house.
Did you use to live in Japan?
Did she use to have a red bike?

1. Fill the gaps with the correct word from the box.

didn’t past not simple infinitive

 1. We use 'used to' to talk about things that happened or were true in the
____past___________ but not now.
2. You can always use the past _infinitive___________ instead of 'used to'.
3. We use 'used to' to emphasize that the action or state is ___simple___________ what
happens now.
4. Used to' is followed by the ____not___________ verb.
5. To make questions and negatives with 'used to', we use 'did' and __didn`t___________.
.

2. Complete the sentence using the correct form of 'used to' and one of these verbs:

do sit play speak smoke buy have (2)

 He lived in Brazil until he was seven. He __spoke____________ Portuguese, but he's

forgotten a lot of it now.
 We __have___________ smartphones, or even internet in our houses. To go online you had
to go to an internet café or library or something.
 She ___smoked____________ but she's given up now. She's really healthy these days.
 We _____play__________ together when we were children, but I don't see them much any
more.
 You used to live on the same road as me! ____we buy________ sweets in that shop on the
corner?
 She __played______________any sport at all, but now she's in the basketball team and she
loves it.
 We always ___sat_____________ on the bridge with our legs hanging down, and throw
sticks into the river.
 I didn't recognize him because of his new beard. He ___Have______________ a beard! He
looks completely different now.

3. What did they use to do 10 years ago? Read the sentences and number the pictures:

1. Mum and I used to watch TV series in the evenings.

2. Mr. Davis used to work as a cook in a famous restaurant.
3. Jamie and Theo used to go jogging every morning.
4. Ella and Dylan used to go to a French restaurant on Saturdays.
5. Benjamin used to work in a big company.
6. Layla used to skip rope at school.
7. Alice use to take photographs in the nature at weekends.
8. Mr. Gibson used to grow vegetables on his farm.
9. Cameron used to play in the school baseball team.
10. Rosie and Sofia used to go to a cafe and chat.
11. Toby used to visit his grandmother on holidays.
12. Isaac, Amy and Katie used wait for the school bus every morning.
13. Edward used to roller-skate in the afternoons.
14. Emilia and Martha used to paint nice pictures.
15. Blake and Kian used to go hiking.
16. Tommy used to ride his bicycle afterschool.
___2____________ ______5________ _____7________ _____9_______

______11_________ ______3________ _____6________ 1

_______8________ _____10_________ ____4_________ 13

____12___________ _____15_________ ______14_______ 16

4. Read and answer what Molly Hornby used to do when she was young. Write right or wrong
according to the text.

THE WAY WE WERE

“I was a young girl in the 1960s. My friends and I used to do a lot of things which shocked our
parents. We used to do things our mothers never did. We cut our hair, we wore short skirts,
we smoked, and went dancing. We danced to the music of Elvis Presley and the Beatles. We
also got the chance to see the Beatles live at a concert once. It was amazing. My father went
fishing once a week. He always wished that I would accompany him, but fishing was not my
cup of tea. Instead my friends and I went for picnics in the surrounding area quite often. My
boyfriend had a car, a 1960 Ford Falcon, so he always picked us up and we often drove to
Brighton. We went to the pictures twice a week and I loved to watch films with Marlon Brando
and Elizabeth Taylor, especially the ‘Reflections in a Golden Eye’ starring both of them. I still
love to watch this film. It’s my favourite. I can remember it all so clearly.”

Molly Hornby …

…used to do a lot of things which shocked her parents. __Good____________

…used to cut our hair. ___Good___________

…used to wear long skirts __Evil____________

…used to sing Elvis Presley songs. __Evil____________

…went to a Beatles’ concert once. __Good____________

…used to go fishing with her father. ____Evil__________

…used to go for picnics in the surrounding area quite often. __Good____________

…used to drive to Brighton with her friends and boyfriend. ______Evil________

…used to go to the pictures twice a week. __Good____________

…used to watch films with Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor. __Good____________