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’tpastnotsimpleinfinitive
 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 simple instead of 'used to'.
3. We use 'used to' to emphasize that the action or state is not what happens now.
4. Used to' is followed by the infinitive 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 used to speak Portuguese, but he's forgotten a lot
of it now.
 We didn’t use to have smartphones or even internet in our houses. To go online you had to
go to an internet café or library or something.
 She used to smoke but she's given up now. She's really healthy these days.
 We used to play together when we were children, but I don't see them much anymore.
 You used to live on the same road as me! did you use to buy sweets in that shop on the
corner?
 She didn’t use to do any sport at all, but now she's in the basketball team and she loves it.
 We always used to sit 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 didn’t use to 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. Right

…used to cut our hair. Right

…used to wear long skirts wrong

…used to sing Elvis Presley songs. Right

…went to a Beatles’ concert once. Right

…used to go fishing with her father. Right

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

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

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

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