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Used to: how things were back then – used to exercises for past habits and states

This A2 drill lesson gives used to exercises for habits and states that were true in the past but aren't now, with didn't use to and Did you use to…?

Grammar
Used to + base verb, use to without d after did and didn't, short answers, wh- questions, There used to be…, and the past simple for one-time events.
Topic
An Irish village, then and now: the local paper's article on Maeve, 81, her letter to her granddaughter, a café owner's interview, Katie's school project and her texts.
Activities
Used-or-use sorting, gap-fills, choices, drag-and-drop, word order, matching, tables, quizzes, a habit-or-one-time sort, a memory game and a chat.

What's inside

  1. Chapter 1The rule

    • PictureUnlock
    • Study the scheme: used toGrammar schemeTry it
    • Is the sentence correct? Mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
    • Sort the sentences: used to or use to?Sort into columnsTry it
    • Choose the right form of the verbChoose the optionUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps with used to + the verbFill in the gapsUnlock

  2. Chapter 2Then and now

    • Fill in the gaps with used to: then and nowFill in the gapsTry it
    • Choose the right form: used toChoose the optionUnlock
    • Drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
    • Put the words in the right orderUnjumbleUnlock
    • Match the beginnings and the endingsMatchUnlock
    • Read about the town and fill in the gaps with used toFill in the gapsUnlock

  3. Chapter 3Didn't use to

    • Fill in the gaps: negative sentences with used toFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Choose the right negative formChoose the optionTry it
    • Fill in the table: positive, negative, questionFill in the tableUnlock
    • Put the words in order: negative sentencesUnjumbleUnlock
    • Match the sentences: what is true now?MatchUnlock
    • Find the mistake and choose the right wordsQuizUnlock
    • Read Hannah's blog and fill in the gaps with used toFill in the gapsUnlock

  4. Chapter 4Did you use to…?

    • Write the questions: Did … use to …?Fill in the gapsUnlock
    • Choose the right short answerChoose the optionUnlock
    • Choose the right question for each answerQuizUnlock
    • Put the words in order to make questionsUnjumbleUnlock
    • Sort the sentences: a habit or one time?Sort into columnsUnlock
    • Choose the correct sentence: one time or a habit?QuizUnlock
    • Read Amy and Ryan's talk at the reunion and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropTry it

  5. Chapter 5Real life: Grandma's village

    • Read the article from the village newspaperReal-life documentUnlock
    • Read the article again: true or false?True or falseUnlock
    • Read Grandma Maeve's letter and fill in the gaps with used toFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Read the interview and choose the right wordsChoose the optionUnlock
    • Read Katie's school project and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
    • Choose the right replies: Katie texts youChatTry it
    • Test yourself: choose the right answerQuizUnlock

  6. Chapter 6Homework

    • Choose used to or use to: at schoolChoose the optionUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps with used to: hobbiesFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps with didn't use to: foodFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Put the words in the right order: sentencesUnjumbleUnlock
    • Sort the sentences: positive, negative or question?Sort into columnsUnlock
    • Write questions for Grandpa: Did … use to …?Fill in the gapsUnlock
    • Choose the right short answer: a family quizChoose the optionUnlock
    • Match the questions and the answersMatchUnlock
    • Choose the correct sentenceQuizUnlock
    • Fill in the table: questions and short answersFill in the tableUnlock
    • Find the matching pairs: then and nowMemory gameUnlock
    • Find the mistake in each sentenceQuizUnlock
    • Read Jake's post and fill in the gaps with used toFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Read the café review and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
    • Read Priya's email and fill in the gaps with used toFill in the gapsUnlock

48 exercises in 6 chapters. Start a 7-day free trial to open all of them, copy any part into your own lessons, and teach the lesson live.

Grammar: used to for things that aren't true anymore

Used to + base verb talks about habits and states in the past that have changed: I used to swim every day, but now I don't. It has no present form, so habits now take the present simple: I usually walk to work.

Used to: how things were back then

Talk about habits and states in the past that are not true now: used to + base verb.

Used to + base verb: then and now

The form is the same for every person: My grandma used to make her own bread. The timeline shows a repeated past action that stopped before now, which is why used to often comes with but now…

used to + base verb

subjectused tobase verb

I used to live in Boston.

My grandma used to make her own bread.

We used to walk to school.

Then and now

pastnow
  • then: I used to swim every day
  • now: I don't swim anymore

Negatives and questions: use to after did

After did and didn't, the d disappears: She didn't use to swim. Did your dad use to work on a farm? Short answers repeat did: Yes, he did. No, they didn't.

Every person: + − ?

WhoPositive (+)Negative (−)Question (?)
II used to swim.I didn't use to swim.Did I use to swim?
youYou used to swim.You didn't use to swim.Did you use to swim?
heHe used to swim.He didn't use to swim.Did he use to swim?
sheShe used to swim.She didn't use to swim.Did she use to swim?
itIt used to snow.It didn't use to snow.Did it use to snow?
weWe used to swim.We didn't use to swim.Did we use to swim?
theyThey used to swim.They didn't use to swim.Did they use to swim?

Questions and short answers

QuestionYesNo
Did you use to walk to school?Yes, I did.No, I didn't.
Did your dad use to work on a farm?Yes, he did.No, he didn't.
Did Ana use to play the piano?Yes, she did.No, she didn't.
Did they use to live here?Yes, they did.No, they didn't.

Habits and states, not one time

Use it for repeated actions (I used to play soccer every Saturday) and long states (She used to have a cat). With yesterday or last week, only the past simple works: I went to the beach yesterday.

Past habits: again and again

  • every day · every summer · always · often
  • I used to play soccer every Saturday.
  • Grandpa used to read the newspaper every morning.

Past states: true for a long time

  • live · have · be · like · there used to be
  • She used to have a cat.
  • There used to be a park here.

Not for one time

  • yesterday · last week · two days ago: use the past simple
  • I went to the beach yesterday.
  • Not: I used to go to the beach yesterday.

Common mistakes

The usual slips are spelling ones, because used to and use to sound the same: I use to play tennis, Did you used to live here? Watch the verb after it too: We used to play outside, not playing.

Examples

  • I used to have long hair, but now it's short.then and now
  • We didn't use to have a TV. We listened to the radio.negative
  • Did you use to play the piano? — Yes, I did.question and short answer
  • What did your dad use to do? — He used to drive a taxi.wh- question
  • My uncle used to be a bus driver. Now he's a teacher.a past state
  • I don't drink soda anymore, but I used to drink it every day.not … anymore = not now

Common mistakes

  • I use to play tennis.

    I used to play tennis.

    positive: used to, with d

  • She didn't used to like fish.

    She didn't use to like fish.

    after didn't: use to, no d

  • Did you used to live here?

    Did you use to live here?

    after did: use to, no d

  • We used to playing outside.

    We used to play outside.

    used to + base verb

Only for the past

used to has no present form. For habits now, use the present simple: I usually walk to work. (Not: I use to walk to work.) Short answers: Yes, I did. No, I didn't. (Also fine: Yes, I used to. No, I didn't use to.) Sound: used to and use to sound the same, so check the spelling: used to after a subject, use to after did / didn't.

More lessons on this grammar: Used to lessons and exercises

Try the used to exercises

Try them yourself: these are the same exercises your students do in edio.

More exercises

What's in the lesson

  • 40 auto-checked exercises
  • 5 games
  • 1 real-life document
  • 1 grammar scheme
  • 1 picture

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

  • talk about past habits and states with used to + base verb: My mom used to bake bread every Sunday. There used to be two bakeries.
  • make negatives with didn't use to, no d: I didn't use to like math at school, not didn't used to
  • ask Did … use to…? and wh- questions: Did you use to take the school bus? – Yes, I did. Where did your family use to live?
  • tell a habit from a single event: I went to the zoo last Saturday, not I used to go to the zoo last Saturday
Grammar:
used to · didn't use to · Did you use to…? · past habits and states
Topic:
grammar practice · childhood · then and now · village life

Teaching tips

  • Bring in a childhood photo: students show or describe an old photo of themselves and say three things with used to and one with didn't use to; classmates ask Did you use to…?
  • Interview an older relative: as a follow-up to Grandma Maeve's letter, students prepare five Did you use to…? questions for a grandparent and report two answers in the next class.
  • Hear the d you can't hear: since used to and use to sound alike, dictate short sentences (She didn't use to cook.) and check the spelling on the board together.

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The whole course: English Grammar Practice · A2

English Grammar Practice · A2 has 28 drill lessons, one grammar point each: the past simple and continuous, used to, comparatives, going to and will, the present perfect, modals, the zero and first conditionals and questions. Each has the rule as a scheme, 43 to 47 exercises that check themselves, 15 of them for homework, and no new words.See the course

  1. 1Past simple with -ed: moving day!
  2. 2Past simple irregular verbs: we went, we saw, we bought
  3. 3Past simple negatives and questions: where did the cake go?
  4. 4Past continuous: what were you doing at 9 p.m.?
  5. 5Past simple or past continuous: what were you doing when it happened?
  6. 6Used to: how things were back then
  7. 7Comparatives: which one is better?
  8. 8Superlatives: the best in town
  9. 9As … as, too, enough: is it the right size?
  10. 10Adverbs of manner: how did she drive?
  11. 11Much, many, a few, a little: how much do we need?
  12. 12Possessive pronouns: whose is it?
  13. 13Be going to: what's your plan?
  14. 14Will: what will the future bring?
  15. 15Present continuous for plans: what are you doing tonight?
  16. 16Will vs going to: decided before or right now?
  17. 17Present perfect: have you ever tried it?
  18. 18Just, already, yet: have you done it yet?
  19. 19For and since: how long have you known her?
  20. 20Present perfect or past simple: up to now or finished time?
  21. 21Must and have to: what are the rules?
  22. 22Should: what should I do?
  23. 23Can, could, may: could you help me, please?
  24. 24Verb + to or -ing: what do you enjoy doing?
  25. 25Zero conditional: what happens if…?
  26. 26First conditional: what will you do if it rains?
  27. 27Articles: a, the or no article?
  28. 28Subject and object questions: who won the quiz?
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