Used to: sentences, exercises, tests and examples

Used to use

Used to + V1 is used to talk about past habits or states that were true before but are not true now.

Important: used to is not about a single past action — it describes something that happened regularly or was typical in the past.

I used to live in London.
She used to play tennis every weekend.
There used to be a small shop here.

Used to Form

Used to always refers to the past, so in affirmative sentences the form used to does not change. After it we use V1 (base verb form).

Subject + used to + V1
Subject + used to + be + noun / adjective

We used to meet after classes.
He used to be very shy.

Used to Rule

  • Used to means “in the past, usually…”, and it often implies a contrast with the present.
    I used to drink coffee, but now I don’t.
  • We don’t use used to for a single past event.
    ❌ I used to go to Paris last year. (один раз)
    ✅ I went to Paris last year.
    ✅ I used to go to Paris every summer.
  • Used to is not the same as be used to or get used to. Those use V-ing / noun after to, but here we use V1.
    ✅ I used to drive to work. (V1)
    ✅ I am used to driving to work. (V-ing)
    See separate topics: Be used to and Get used to.

Used to Negation

In negatives we use the auxiliary did, so we write didn’t use to (without -d).

Subject + didn’t use to + V1

I didn’t use to like coffee.
They didn’t use to have a car.

Used to Questions

In questions we also use did, so the pattern is did + subject + use to + V1.

Did + subject + use to + V1?
Wh-word + did + subject + use to + V1?

Did you use to live here?
Where did they use to work?
What did you use to do after school?

Used to Common mistakes

Common mistakes with used to: wrong form in questions/negatives and mixing it up with be used to.

❌ Did you used to play tennis?
✅ Did you use to play tennis?
❌ I use to live here.
✅ I used to live here.
❌ I am used to live here.
✅ I used to live here.
✅ I am used to living here. (другая конструкция)

Used to Sentences

I used to work in an office, but now I work from home.
We used to meet every Friday.
There used to be a cinema here.

Used to Examples

When I was a kid, I used to ride my bike everywhere.
She used to be nervous before presentations, but she isn’t now.
They didn’t use to travel much, but now they do.

English grammar exercises available in the app

Tenses

Present Simple

Conditionals

Second Conditional First Conditional Third Conditional Zero Conditional

Sentences

Relative Clauses Conjunctions Reported Speech

Verbs

Used to To be used to To get used to