Past habits and states
Use used to + base verb for habits and states in the past that are no longer true. You can also use would + base verb for repeated actions (not states).
| Form | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | subject + used to + verb | I used to live in Cairo. |
| Negative | subject + didn’t use to + verb | She didn’t use to like coffee. |
| Question | Did + subject + use to + verb? | Did you use to play chess? |
Rule
Used to vs would
- Used to → past habits and past states: I used to have long hair. We used to live in a village.
- Would → repeated actions only (not states): Every summer we would visit my grandparents.
- States (be, have, know, like, live) take used to only: “I would be shy” is wrong → I used to be shy.
- Don’t use used to for something that happened once: I went to Paris in 2019.
Lots of examples
- I used to play football every Saturday.Past habit.
- She used to be very shy.Past state.
- We didn’t use to have a car.Negative.
- Did you use to live here?Question.
- When I was a child, we would go fishing every Sunday.Repeated action.
- He would read me a story every night.Repeated action.
- There used to be a cinema here.Past state.
- I used to smoke, but I stopped five years ago.Habit now stopped.
- My grandfather used to tell funny stories.Past habit.
- People didn’t use to have mobile phones.Past situation.
- Where did you use to go on holiday?Question word.
- I am used to the noise. (now)Different meaning.
Don’t say / Say
Don’t sayI didn’t used to like it.
SayI didn’t use to like it.Why: After didn’t the verb is in base form.
Don’t sayDid you used to play?
SayDid you use to play?Why: After did, use.
Don’t sayI would be shy as a child.
SayI used to be shy as a child.Why: Would can’t be used for states.
Don’t sayI use to go there.
SayI used to go there.Why: Past form: used to.
Don’t sayI used to went there.
SayI used to go there.Why: Base verb after used to.