If we say something used to happen we are talking about repeated events and actions in the past, usually things that happened a long time ago and are now finished.
To express this we can use either used to or would.
- When I was young I used to play with my dolls. = When I was young I would play with my dolls.
Of course I no longer play with dolls!
- We used to go out a lot in the summer.
Implies that we no longer go out much.If you want to talk about repeated states or habits in the past, you must use used to, you cannot use would : :
- My dog used to bark at cats.
- I used to smoke.
- I used to be an administrative assistant.
- I used to live in England.
The question form is ‘Did you use to…?'. When asking a closed question you put did/didn't in front of the subject followed by use to, you cannot use would.
- Did you use to go out with my sister?
- Did they use to own the company?
- Didn't we use to go to the same school?
- What sort of things did you use to like when you were young?
- I didn't use to play with my dolls.
If I said I wouldn't play with my dolls. It would mean I refused to play with my dolls.
- We didn't use to go out much in the winter months.
If I said we wouldn't go out much. It would mean we refused to go out much.!Note - The general rule is when there is did or didn't in the sentence, we say use to (without d) when there is no did or didn't in the sentence, we say used to (with d).
Used to something
used to has another meaning, it can be used as an adjective and we use it to talk about things that have become familiar, and are no longer strange or new.
Used to usually comes after verbs such as be, get or become.
Used to usually comes after verbs such as be, get or become.
- After a while you get used to the noise.
- She will become used to the smell.
- I was used to the web site.
- I'll never get used to getting up at six o'clock in the morning.
- It took me a while until I was used to driving on the right-hand side of the road.
This all modified form a useful English learning Website LEO Network.
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