Used tois often used to express habits we had in the past and we don't have more. When compared to our mother tongue, used to it is equivalent to the imperfect tense of the indicative or it can also be translated by used (m) + infinitive.|1|
Even though at present it is common to use the simple presentto talk about habits, in the past it's a little different, because we can't just use tense simple past. We must therefore employ used to.
For apprentices to English language have no doubts about this subject, we'll explore in the next topics when using used to and we will learn to differentiate it from would.
How to use used to
when we express habits in the past, we must employ the structure used to. In addition, there are two possible ways to translate it, which can be in the imperfect tense of the indicative or even: used (m) + main verb in the infinitive. |1| O used to follow the same rules as simple past, that is, in negative and interrogative sentences, the auxiliary verb must be placed in the sentence did + used to + main verb.
Note examples:
in sentences affirmatives, use up used to + main verb:
my sister used to have a very short hair.
My sister he had the hair too short.
OR
My sister used to have the hair too short.
When I was a child I used to Play with my friends in the park.
When I was a kid, I played with my friends in the park.
OR
When I was a kid, I used to play with my friends in the park.
they used to have dinner together.
They used to have dinner together.
for phrases negative, use the helper did + not:
my sister didn’t use to have a very short hair.
My sister did not have the hair too short.
OR
My sister didn't used to have the hair too short.
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When I was a child I didn’t use to Play with my friends in the park.
When I was a kid, I I didn't play with my friends in the park.
OR
When I was a kid, I I didn't used to play with my friends in the park.
they didn’t use to have dinner together.
They didn't used to have dinner together.
See that when we put the helper did + not, the expression used to back to form in the present, because the did already indicates that the phrase is in the past.
For interrogative sentences, use the helper did at the beginning of the sentence:
Did my sister use to have a very short hair?
My sister he had your hair too short?
OR
My sister used to have your hair too short?
When I was a child did I use to play with my friends in the park?
When I was a kid, I played with my friends in the park?
OR
When I was a kid, I used to play with my friends in the park?
Did they use to have dinner together?
They used to have dinner together?
In interrogative sentences, the expression used to it also returns to form in the present, due to the presence of the auxiliary did indicating that the phrase is in the past.
For short answers, we must follow the rules of simple past. Thus, the questions in the examples can be answered as follows:
Yes, she did.
No, she didn’t.
Yes, she used to.
No, she didn't used to.
Yes, you did.
No, you didn’t
Yes, you used to joke.
No, you didn't used to play.
Yes, they did.
No, they didn’t.
Yes, they used to have dinner.
No, they didn't usually have dinner.
See too: Future usinggoing to
What is the difference between would and usedto?
To talk about past habits, you can use both used to how much the modal verbwould. However, there is a small difference in use between the two structures. If we talk about a past action, we can use both, but if we talk about a past state (state verbs), we must therefore use the structure used to. Don't forget that the semantic sense also remains the same for used to and would. Note examples:
She used to write a journal.
She used to write a diary.She would write a journal.
She used to write a diary.My father used to work at home.
My father used to work from home.My father would work at home.
My father used to work from home.
In both examples, we can see that the use of would it is also possible, because it is a habitual action from the past.
the modal verbs would/used to can almost always be used to talk about past habits, except when expressing the idea of a been in the past. For example:
I used to agree with everybody, but now I have my own ideas.
I used to agree with everyone, but now I have my own ideas.She didn’t use to believe in Santa Claus when she was a child.
She didn't believe in Santa Claus as a child.
However, in these last two examples, the presence of state verbs (agree and believe), soon, we can't use would. There are several state verbs, among them the following stand out: agree, be, believe, feel, hate, have, like, love, mean, need, prefer, realize, remember, understand, want, between others.
A good idea is to write this list in your notebook and create personal examples with used to.
Read too: when to use make and of?
Exercise solved
Question 1- Read the text below. You’re going to see Pamela’s routine:
I usually wake up very early and have breakfast with my family. Then, I get my things and go to school with my neighbor Lara. She is so funny. We study all day long. It is a little tire, but we learn a lot. In the end of the day, I can rest and watch some TV. Well, I do not sleep very late, because my parents do not allow me. This is my pretty much my daily routine.
This USED TO be her routine. Pamela is now 30 years old. Now, it’s your job to change her routine to a past habit. Use SHE/THEY:
She used to wake up….
Solution
She used to wake up very early and have breakfast with her family. Then, she used to get her things and go to school with her neighbor Lara. She used to be so funny. They would study all day long. It used to be a little tire, but they would learn a lot. In the end of the day, she used to rest and watch some TV. Well, she would not sleep very late, because her parents would not allow her. This used to be pretty much her daily routine.
Grades
|1| MURPHY, R. Essential grammar in use. Martins Sources: São Paulo, 2003.
By Patricia Veronica Moreira
English teacher
