2

Used to

The Shady Past

of a Butterfly
Focus on Grammar 3
Part I, Unit 5
By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ Wells
Copyright 2006. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The
The Secret
Secret Life
Life of
of aa Butterfly
Butterfly 11
to be
letused
me tell
I But
amI
Madame
ayou
caterpillar!

Butterfly
Hello!
and I am
I used to
beautiful!
look very
different!

The
The Secret
Secret Life
Life of
of aa Butterfly
Butterfly 22
I used
to
The
gardener
live on
was
not happy
plants

with
me!
and I used to eat
sweet, young, green
leaves. Mmmmm.
I used to
get into
trouble for
it too.

The
The Secret
Secret Life
Life of
of aa Butterfly
Butterfly 33
He used to come
running after me to
catch me.

But I used to hide

under leaves where
he could not see
me.
That used to drive
him crazy. And I
used to love that too.

Used to 1
Use used to + base form of the verb to talk about past habits
or past situations that no longer exist in the present.

I used to be a caterpillar!
base form

Be Careful!
Used to always refers to the past. There is no
present form.
base form

I used to eat green

leaves.

I dont eat leaves

today. I drink the
nectar of flowers!

Used to 2

Use used to in sentences that contrast the past and the

present. Time expressions such as now, no longer, or
not anymore emphasize the contrast.
I used to hide from
the gardener, but I
dont do that
anymore.
Now, I fly right
around his face, and
he doesnt scream at
me any longer.

Practice 1

Write about three things you used

to do. Add sentences in the
present using now, no longer, or
not anymore.

Example:
The gardener used to scream
when he saw caterpillars.
Now, he doesnt scream at
the beautiful butterflies.

Negative with Used to

Form the negative with didnt + use to or
never + used to + base form.
base form

I didnt use to be so
beautiful!
Madame Butterfly didnt
used
use to have wings.
No d with did !!

Questions with Used to

Form questions with did + use to + base form.
base form

Did the gardener use to try

to catch you?
use to look different?
Did you used
No d with did !!

Practice 2

Look at the sentences with used to.

Form questions and negative
statements for each sentence.

Example: The gardener used to love the caterpillar.

Did the gardener use to love the caterpillar?
The gardener didnt use to love the caterpillar.
Did the
butterflyused
use to
1. The
butterfly
tolook
be different?
ugly.
The butterfly didnt use to look different.
Did the
caterpillarused
use totodrink
thethe
nectar
of flowers?
caterpillar
drink
nectar
of flowers.
2. The
The caterpillar didnt use to drink the nectar of flowers.

gardener
toleave
leave
caterpillar
alone.
3. The
Did the
gardenerused
use to
thethe
caterpillar
alone?
The gardener didnt use to leave the caterpillar alone.

4. Madame
Butterfly
live
a house.
Did Madame
Butterflyused
use totolive
in ainhouse?
Madame Butterfly didnt use to live in a house.

Be
Be Used
Used to
to &
& Get
Get Used
Used to
to
MyToday
friend
and
life
isI are
And
I quickly
got
used
to
getting
very
different.
used
to drinking
lots of
the nectar of
compliments.
beautiful
I am used
to
people flowers.
loving me.
Life is good
when you
are
beautiful!

Be Careful!
Do not confuse used to + base form of the verb with
be used to or get used to.
to
We used to eat green leaves.
Form of be

We are used to eating the nectar of

flowers.
Form of get

We got used to eating leaves and

flowers.

Be Careful!
Be used to means be accustomed to. Get used to
means get accustomed to.

I am used to people loving me.

She got used to getting lots of

compliments.

References
Copyright 2006 Pearson Education and its
licensors. All rights reserved.