You will learn how to:

 Talk about past events.

GUIDE NUMBER 7
 Give information about you in past simple.
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 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 + complement”
Examples:
a) I used to live in Japan. Now I live in Canada.
b) She used to play soccer when she was a child.

There are two different phrases depending on the situation:

Used to is for affirmative sentences.
a) I used to play with dolls.
b) She used to like swimming.
Use to is for negative sentences and questions.
a) I didn’t use to have a car.
b) They didn’t use to live in a big house.
c) Did you use to live in Japan?
d) Did she use to have a red bike?
didn’t past not simple infinitive
1. Fill the gaps with the correct word from the box.
a) We use 'used to' to talk about things that happened or were true in the _______________ but not now.
b) You can always use the past ____________ instead of 'used to'.
c) We use 'used to' to emphasize that the action or state is ______________ what happens now.
d) ‘Used to' is followed by the _______________ verb.
e) To make questions and negatives with 'used to', we use 'did' and _____________.

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 ______________ Portuguese, but he's forgotten a lot of it now.
 We ________________ smartphones, or even internet in our houses. To go online you had to go to an
internet café or library or something.
 She _______________ but she's given up now. She's really healthy these days.
 We _______________ together when we were children, but I don't see them much anymore.
 You used to live on the same road as me! ______________ sweets in that shop on the corner?
 She ________________any sport at all, but now she's in the basketball team and she loves it.
 We always ________________ 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 _________________ 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 used 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.

. . . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

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 favorite. I can
remember it all so clearly.”

Molly Hornby …
a) …used to do a lot of things which shocked her parents. .
b) …used to cut our hair. .
c) …used to wear long skirts .
d) …used to sing Elvis Presley songs. .
e) …went to a Beatles’ concert once. .
f) …used to go fishing with her father. .
g) …used to go for picnics in the surrounding area quite often. .
h) …used to drive to Brighton with her friends and boyfriend. .
i) …used to go to the pictures twice a week. .
j) …used to watch films with Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor. .

Learn an English Expression: “not my cup of tea” http://elclementeingles.blogspot.com/2017/02/martes-expresiones-not-my-cup-of-tea.html