Monday, 3rd January 2022

Topic: What did you use to do in the past?

USED TO

https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-grammar/
used
We use used to + verb for talking about states or actions that were true or happened in the past, but
are not true or do not happen now.

1. Think about your childhood (e.g. when you were 5 years old).
Answer the questions.

1. What did you use to look like?

2. What time did you use to go to bed?

3. What time did you use to get up in the morning?

4. How did you use to spend time?

5. What games did you use to play?

6. Who used to be your best friend?

7. What used to be your favourite toy?

2. Use your imagination and write what people used to do before these inventions.

1. television

2. electric lights

3. alarm clock

4. fire

5. guns

6. e-mail

7. plastic

8. cars

9. planes

10. medicines
 USED TO DO/WOULD DO or USED TO DOING ?

USED + TO-INFINITIVE (IN THE PAST)

We used to play that game when we were younger.

I used to smoke, but I gave it up.
I used to live in London.
I used to like cowboy films.

Here used is a verb. Used to refers to something that happened regularly, or

that went on for a time in the past (and which is no longer true). It refers both to
actions and states.

We normally use did in negatives and questions:

We didn’t use to have computers.*

Did you use to live in London?
*
The form I didn’t used to may also be found. This is usually considered incorrect, unless we consider
used to as an unchanging semi-modal form.

WOULD + INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO

Habits which are no longer true and which are contrasted with present habits
can also be described by using would + base form of the verb (infinitive without
to).
NOTE: Would is used to describe repeated actions, but not states!

I used to/would go swimming a lot.

Every week he used to/would buy his mother a bunch of flowers.
BUT:
He used to have a dog. He would have a dog.

He used to love reading fairy tales. He would love reading fairy tales.

Would is more common in written language and often occurs in reminiscences.

BE/GET USED TO + ING-FORM

We’re used to getting up early. We do it every day.
I’m used to living alone.

Here used to is an adjective. Used to means ‘accustomed to’, ‘familiar with’. We

can say is used to , was used to etc.

We use a form of be in negatives and questions:

We aren’t used to cooking ourselves.
Are you used to working nights?
We can also say get used to which means ‘become accustomed to’:

I will get used to driving on the left.

At first I had problems with getting up so early, but after some time I got used to
it.
Have you already got used to living alone?

EXCERCISES

1. Choose the correct answer.

1. My aunt ....... dinner on Sundays. 6. She ... collage.

a) used to cook a) used to attend
b) used to cooking b) used to attending

2. I didn't use to ..... books in bed. 7. John used to .......my best friend.
a) read a) be
b) reading b) being

3. I was used to ......to school. 8. Didn't you use to ....... in a show-

a) walk group?
b) walking a) dance
b) dancing
4. Are you used to .......in public?
a) speak 9. She is ..... up late.
b) speaking a) used to stay
b) used to staying
5. Did you .... to drink tea with milk?
a) use 10. I will have to get used to .....low-fat
b) using products.
a) eating
b) eat
2. An interviewer is talking to the oldest person in a village. Complete the interview
using correct forms of used to /would do.

Old Woman: I’ve always lived in the village, but not always in this house.
Interviewer: Where ____________________________ (you live) ?
Old Woman: When I was a girl, we lived at Apple Tree Farm. We ________________
________________ (like) it there. I and my brothers ________________
__________________ (play) among the apple trees and it was really
great fun. We ____________________(eat) at least five apples a day!
Interviewer: But life was hard, wasn’t it?
Old Woman: Oh yes. In those days we _________________________(not have)
electricity. My father _____________________(milk) the cows by hand.
Interviewer: And _________________________(you help) with the farm work?
Old Woman: Yes, I __________________________(look after) the hens.

3. Complete the sentences using used to do, be/ get used to doing.

1. I _____________________________(want) to be an astronaut when I was a child.

2. I’m nervous. I ______________________________________(speak) to a large audience.
3. It took us ages to _________________________________(live) in a block of flats.
4. Lots of trains ____________________________(stop) here, but not many do now.
5. Didn’t your sister ____________________________(work) in this office?
6. There didn’t __________________________(be) so many cars fifty years ago. The roads
were much quieter.
7.I’ll have an orange juice. I_________________________(not, drink) alcohol.
8. When Marcia started this job three years ago she __________________________
(travel) such long distances every day. Fortunately she _______________________
(it) very quickly and now it’s not a problem for her.
9. I ________________________________(sleep) in a tent very often when I was a child. My
kids don’t do that. They __________________________________ (sleep) in their
comfortable beds only.
10. Is it possible to ______________________________ (not eat) anything except fruits?

4..Translate the sentences into Polish.

1. Kiedy byłem dzieckiem, bałem się ciemności i spałem przy zapalonym świetle.

2. Kiedyś nie lubiłem muzyki klasycznej.

3. Jestem przyzwyczajony do pracy pod presją.

4. Szybko się przyzwyczaisz do jeżdżenia po lewej stronie.

5. Anna kiedyś nie nosiła okularów.

6. Nie martw się o mnie. Jestem przyzwyczajony do wspinania się po górach w takich

warunkach.

7. Charles jest taki nieuprzejmy, a był kiedyś takim grzecznym chłopcem.

8. Nie mogę się przyzwyczaić do wstawania przed 6 rano.

9. Nie jesteśmy przyzwyczajeni do jedzenia pikantnych potraw.

10. John trenował kiedyś codziennie, ale teraz jest leniwy i woli leżeć na kanapie i oglądać

TV.