Used to, Be used to, Get used to – In Grammar

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In this lesson, we’re going to learn about the verbs used to, be used to, get used to with examples and a quiz! So, these common expressions sound very similar but they are very different.
So, today I’m gonna teach you each one of these in detail.

Let’s take up each expression and see how they differ from one another.

‘Used to’

Used to is always talking about the past. We used ‘Used to’ things that happened regularly in the past but don’t happen anymore.

Used to = the past

Subject + used to + verb

For example,

Past

  • I used to play basketball every Monday when I was at school.
  • I used to have really short hair.
  • Surgical gloves used to be very cheap.

Present / Now

  • Now, I don’t.
  • Now, I don’t.
  • But now, they are not because of Corona Virus.

In Negative Sentences

Subject+ didn’t use to + verb

Past

  • I didn’t have use to have a lot of free time.
  • I did not use to smoke

Present / Now

  • Now, I’ve lots of free time.
  • Now, I do.

Something missing, The ‘d’. In negative sentences, the d isn’t there. so, We remove the ‘d’. okay. But the pronunciation of these two words is (used to and use to) the same.

In Questions

Did + Subject + Use to + Verb

In questions again we remove the ‘d’

For example,

  • Did you use to have a lot of free time?
  • Did you use to smoke?

Be used to & Get used to

We used ‘be used to

If you ‘are used to something, it means you are accustomed to something.

  • things we are comfortable with, / things we are accustomed (habitual) to
  • things that are normal for us.

For example,

I’m used to getting up every morning at 6 am. ( that simply means that is totally normal for me)

Now ‘Get used to’ is very similar, but it’s more about the process of becoming accustomed to something. and, It takes time.

For example,

  • It took him a while to get used to his new family.
  • It took them a long time to get used to living in the country.

Click here to practice Used to, Be used to, Get used to Quiz

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