To talk about actions that started and finished in the past.
It is also used to talk about past habits and repeated actions.
Used to talk about:
– an action that was on-going in the past at a particular time – and action that was interrupted by another action.
– two on-going situations that happened at the same time
Can you find the matching pairs of verbs?
Now write the correct verb in each sentence.
‘Used to + infinitive’:
We use this expression to talk about habits or repeated actions in the past which we don’t do in the present. We also use it to talk about states in the past which are no longer true. For example:
- I used to have long hair (but now I have short hair).
- He used to dance (but now he doesn’t dance).
- They used to live in India (but now they live in Germany).
Watch out! With the negative and the question it’s ‘use’ and not ‘used’:
- Did you use to be a teacher?
- Did he use to study French?
- She didn’t use to like chocolate, but she does now.
- I didn’t use to watch cartoons, but I do now.
