Used to, be used to, get used to: settling in – used to, be used to and get used to exercises
About this lesson
This B1 drill lesson gives used to, be used to and get used to exercises: a past habit, something normal for you, and something becoming normal.
- Grammar
- Used to + verb with didn't use to and Did you use to…?; be used to + noun or -ing; get used to in any tense: I'm getting used to it.
- Topic
- New in Tokyo: game designer Ximena's blog post and its comments, her email to her old team, a newsletter interview, and a chat with Ximena.
- Activities
- True or false, sorting, choosing the form or meaning, gap-fills, tables, word order, matching, drag-and-drop texts, a memory game, quizzes and a chat.
What's inside
Chapter 1The rule
Chapter 2Used to: back then
- Fill in the gaps with used to + verbFill in the gapsTry it
- Choose the right form: then and nowChoose the optionUnlock
- Put the words in order to make questionsUnjumbleUnlock
- Match the beginnings and the endingsMatchUnlock
- Fill in the table: positive, negative, questionFill in the tableUnlock
- Read the interview with Bjarne and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right wordsQuizUnlock
Chapter 3Be used to: it's normal for me
- Fill in the gaps with be used to + -ingFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the right form: be used to + noun or -ingChoose the optionTry it
- Fill in the gaps: negatives and questions with be used toFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose used to or be used to: then or now?Choose the optionUnlock
- Read the night nurses' messages and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Choose the right question for each answerQuizUnlock
- Sort the endings: I used to … or I'm used to …?Sort into columnsUnlock
Chapter 4Get used to: little by little
- Fill in the gaps with get used to in the right formFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the right form after get used toChoose the optionUnlock
- Choose be used to or get used toChoose the optionUnlock
- Match the situations and the sentencesMatchTry it
- Put the words in the right orderUnjumbleUnlock
- Read the new parents' messages and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Choose the right sentence for each situationQuizUnlock
Chapter 5Real life: New in Tokyo
- Read Ximena's blog postReal-life documentUnlock
- Read the blog post again: true or false?True or falseUnlock
- Read the blog post again and choose the right answerQuizUnlock
- Read Ximena's email to her old team and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read the interview in Kitefin News and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Choose the right replies: Ximena texts youChatTry it
- Test yourself: choose the right answerQuizUnlock
Chapter 6Homework
- Choose the right form: a new schoolChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps with used to + verb: Grandpa's storiesFill in the gapsUnlock
- Fill in the gaps with be used to + -ing: jobsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Sort the sentences: past habit, normal now or becoming normal?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: statementsUnjumbleUnlock
- Fill in the table: be used to in negatives and questionsFill in the tableUnlock
- Match the questions and the answersMatchUnlock
- Find the matching pairs: sentence and meaningMemory gameUnlock
- Choose the right form: normal now or becoming normal?Choose the optionUnlock
- Choose the correct sentenceQuizUnlock
- Read Wanjiru's forum post and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Read Rustam's review and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: questionsUnjumbleUnlock
- Write the question for each answerFill in the gapsUnlock
- Drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
Grammar: used to, be used to, get used to: three meanings
Three look-alike phrases, three different meanings. Used to + verb is a past habit or state that has stopped; be used to says something feels normal to you; get used to says it is becoming normal: Don't worry. You'll get used to it!
Used to, be used to, get used to
Three meanings: a past habit, something normal for you, something becoming normal.
Used to + verb: back then, not now
I used to drive to work. Now I take the train. It works for states too: She used to be shy; There used to be a bakery on this street. The verb after it stays in the base form.
subjectused tobase verb
I used to drive to work. Now I take the train.
She used to be shy, but now she loves parties.
There used to be a bakery on this street.
Be used to + noun or -ing: it's normal
Be changes with the person and the time: I'm used to the noise. Nurses are used to working at night. At first, I wasn't used to the spicy food.
subjectam / is / are / was / wereused tonoun / it / verb-ing
I'm used to the noise. I've lived here for years.
Nurses are used to working at night.
At first, I wasn't used to the spicy food.
Get used to: becoming normal
Get can be in any tense: I'm slowly getting used to my new job. It took me a month to get used to driving on the left. You'll get used to it!
subjectget (in any tense)used tonoun / it / verb-ing
I'm slowly getting used to my new job.
It took me a month to get used to driving on the left.
Don't worry. You'll get used to it!
Negatives, questions and short answers
After did or didn't, write use to: I didn't use to live there. Did you use to live there? Be used to takes am, is, was…: Are you used to it? – Yes, I am. American English says I've gotten used to it.
| Form | Positive (+) | Negative (−) | Question (?) |
|---|---|---|---|
| used to (a past habit) | I used to live there. | I didn't use to live there. | Did you use to live there? |
| be used to (now) | I'm used to it. | I'm not used to it. | Are you used to it? |
| be used to (past) | I was used to it. | I wasn't used to it. | Were you used to it? |
| get used to (happening now) | I'm getting used to it. | I'm not getting used to it. | Are you getting used to it? |
| get used to (past) | I got used to it. | I didn't get used to it. | Did you get used to it? |
| get used to (present perfect) | I've gotten used to it. | I haven't gotten used to it yet. | Have you gotten used to it yet? |
| get used to (future) | You'll get used to it. | I'll never get used to it. | Will you get used to it? |
Be used to or get used to?
A long time, all my life or so point to the state: I've lived in Alaska for ten years, so I'm used to the cold. Slowly, still or It took me point to the change.
be used to: a state. It's normal (or not).
- now · already · all my life · after ten years · so …
- I've lived in Alaska for ten years, so I'm used to the cold.
- I'm not used to this heat. I'm from Norway!
get used to: a change. It's becoming normal.
- slowly · little by little · still · soon · can't · It took me …
- I moved here in May. I'm slowly getting used to the heat.
- It took me a whole year to get used to the cold.
Watch the to
In be used to and get used to, to is a preposition, so -ing follows: I'm used to getting up early, not I'm used to get up early. Also watch for I didn't used to like tea and I'm use to it.
Watch the to!
In be used to and get used to, to is a preposition, so a verb after it takes -ing: I'm used to getting up early. In used to + verb, the verb stays in the base form: I used to get up late. Write used, not use: She's used to it. Only after did / didn't: Did you use to …? used to has no present form: for habits now, use the present simple.
Common mistakes
I'm used to get up early.
I'm used to getting up early.
be used to + -ing
I used to getting up early.
I used to get up early.
used to + base verb: a past habit
I didn't used to like tea.
I didn't use to like tea.
after did / didn't: use to
It's my first week, and I get used to the job.
It's my first week, and I'm getting used to the job.
a change happening now: am / is / are getting used to
Examples
- I used to work in a bank, but now I'm a chef.a past job, not now
- I'm used to working late. Chefs often do.normal for me
- I didn't use to like coffee. Now I drink three cups a day.negative: didn't use to
- Are you used to the new schedule? — Yes, I am.question and short answer
- My new phone is different, but I'm getting used to it.becoming normal now
- Did you use to play soccer? — Yes, I did.question and short answer
More lessons on this grammar: Used to lessons and exercises
Try the be and get used to exercises
Try them yourself: these are the same exercises your students do in edio.
What's in the lesson
- 41 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 that have stopped: My grandparents used to have a small farm, but they sold it in 2010.
- make negatives and questions with use: We didn't use to have a TV. Did you use to play hockey?
- say what is normal for you with be used to + -ing: Olga is a nurse. She is used to working at night.
- describe a change with get used to: It's only my second week at the new school, so I'm still getting used to it.
- keep the forms apart: I used to get up early, but I'm used to getting up early
- Grammar:
- used to · be used to · get used to · didn't use to · -ing after used to
- Topic:
- grammar practice · living abroad · new job · habits · Tokyo
Teaching tips
- Swap childhood habits: pairs ask Did you use to…? about food, games and school, then tell the class one thing their partner used to do but doesn't anymore.
- Interview a newcomer: one student plays someone who just moved to a new city; the others ask Are you used to…? and Are you getting used to…? about trains, food and the weather.
- Draw a then-and-now line: mark then (used to), getting there (get used to) and now (be used to) on the board; students place sentences from Ximena's blog post along it.
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The whole course: English Grammar Practice · B1
English Grammar Practice · B1 has 28 drill lessons, one grammar point each: the present perfect continuous, narrative tenses, future forms, modals of deduction, the second conditional, the passive, relative clauses, reported speech, question tags and linkers. 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
- 1Present perfect continuous: how long have you been doing it?
- 2Present perfect simple or continuous: how many or how long?
- 3Past perfect: what had happened before?
- 4Narrative tenses: telling a great story
- 5Future forms: plans, promises and timetables
- 6Future time clauses: I'll call you when I land
- 7Used to, be used to, get used to: settling in
- 8Modal verbs: can, must, should or might?
- 9Could, was able to, managed to: did you make it?
- 10Modals of deduction: whose bag could it be?
- 11Second conditional: what would you do?
- 12Conditionals compared: real or imagined?
- 13Present and past passive: how is it made?
- 14Passive in other tenses: what's being done?
- 15Relative clauses: the person who, the place where
- 16Reported statements: who said what?
- 17Reported questions and commands: what did they ask you?
- 18Indirect questions: could you tell me where it is?
- 19Question tags: it's your first day, isn't it?
- 20Gerunds and infinitives: enjoy doing or decide to do?
- 21Reflexive pronouns: did you make it yourself?
- 22Although, however, despite: great view, tiny room
- 23So, such and because of: what a storm!
- 24Phrasal verbs: who's going to clean it up?
- 25All, both, either, neither, none: two or a whole group?
- 26-ed and -ing adjectives: bored or boring?
- 27Advanced comparatives: the more, the better
- 28Articles with place names: the Nile, but Lake Como