Study Notes on the Use of 'Used To' in English

Overview of the "Used To" Construction in English

General Instructions

The concept of "used to" is essential for discussing habits or states in the past, especially when these habits or states are no longer true or applicable in the present.

Definitions

• "Used to": This phrase indicates an action or state that was habitual in the past but is no longer the case. It is often used to reflect practices, routines, or conditions that have changed over time.

Structure of "Used To"

• Affirmative form: The affirmative construction uses "used to" followed by the base form of the verb. For example:
    - He used to live in a small town.
    - This indicates that living in a small town was a previous habit for him, but he no longer lives there.

• Negative form: To express the negative, the construction changes to "did not use to" for clarity. The formation appears as:
    - He did not use to live there.
    - This indicates that at no point in the past did he live in that location.

• Interrogative form: For questions, the phrase structure changes to begin with "Did" followed by the subject and then "use to" followed by the base form of the verb:
    - Did she use to be shy?
    - This question inquires if she had a habit of being shy in the past.

Examples and Usage

• Affirmative examples:
    - "He used to play basketball every Saturday."
    - "They used to go on family vacations every summer."

• Negative examples:
    - "I did not use to like spinach when I was a child."
    - "She did not use to travel much before she got her job."

• Interrogative examples:
    - "Did you use to walk to school?"
    - "Did he use to work at the bookstore?"

Note on Usage

It's crucial to utilize "used to" correctly to clearly convey the change from one state to another. The transition indicates a shift in personal history, reflecting how individuals evolve over time.

Connection to Confidence

A relevant example highlighted in the instruction notes mentions:

• "She used to be shy; now she is very confident."
  This illustrates the transformation from a previously timid nature to a confident self-image, epitomizing the use of "used to" for expressing changed states or habits.

Practice Exercise

Complete the following sentence with "used to":

• She used to be shy; now she is …
• They used to eat dinner at 6 PM; now they …

By practicing with these structures, students can master the use of "used to" in various sentence forms, thus enhancing their proficiency in discussing past habits and states.