I used to play football: talking about past habits

The rule

Use used to + base verb for past habits and states that are no longer true: I used to play football every day. She used to live near the sea. In questions and negatives with did, drop the -d: Did you use to…? I didn't use to…

Used to and use to sound the same, so learners write I use to play for the past. Arabic كنت ألعب and the French imparfait also push them towards I was playing. For the present, say I usually.

Examples

In a conversation

A: Did you use to play any sport at school?

B: Yes, I used to play basketball every afternoon.

A: Do you still play?

B: Not really. I usually go running now.

Practice

Choose the best answer. The answers are at the end of the lesson.

1. When I was a child, I ___ in a small village.
   • a) use to live
   • b) used to live
   • c) used to living
2. ___ wear a uniform at school?
   • a) Did you use to
   • b) Did you used to
   • c) Were you use to
3. I live alone now, so I'm used to ___ for myself.
   • a) cook
   • b) cooked
   • c) cooking

Tip

Don't confuse it with be used to + -ing, which means be accustomed to: I'm used to getting up early means early mornings are normal for me now.

Answers

1. b) used to live. A past state: used to + base verb.
2. a) Did you use to. After did, write use to, without -d.
3. c) cooking. Be used to (be accustomed to) takes -ing.

• ← Day 41: I was cooking when the phone rang: the past continuous
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