Use to / Used to Lessons, FAQs, and Practice Quiz

Use to / Used to Lesson

In English, “used to” and “use to” are phrases that often cause confusion among learners. They both relate to past habits or states but are used in different contexts. “Used to” indicates a habit or state that was true in the past but is no longer the case. For example, “I used to drink coffee every morning” suggests that the speaker no longer drinks coffee every morning. “Use to” appears in the negative form or in questions, typically following the auxiliary verb “did.” It refers to actions that did not happen in the past or questioning about past habits, such as in “Did you use to play soccer?”

There is a little confusion on how to use the words use to and used to. One reason for the confusion is that it is sometimes used as a verb, and sometimes used as an adjective. The other reason is because it seems like the tense changes. It’s really quite simple when you look at it.

Used as an adjective. Use to be + used to. This means to be accustomed to. For example- I can study with the TV on. I am used to it. It means I am accustomed, adjusted, or don’t mind having the TV play while I’m studying.

Or another example- Tim had a hard time living in Tokyo. He wasn’t used to so many people. Tim didn’t have experience being with big crowds of people before.

Used as a verb. Use to + verb is a regular verb and means something that happened but doesn’t happen any more. It uses -ed to show past tense. But since it always means something that happened in the past, it should always use past tense. For example- I used to go to school in Paris. (I went to school there before, but now I don’t.) Or, When Joshua was a child, he used to climb trees. (Now he doesn’t climb trees.)

Remember, we always use this word when talking about the past. So when do you use use to without the d at the end? When the base form of the verb is used. Look at these examples- She didn’t use to swim before noon. (Now she does swim before noon.) Or Did your father use to ride a horse? In these cases the past tense is shown with the did and didn’t.

To help reinforce your understanding of “used to” and “use to,” here is a brief quiz with ten questions. Each question presents a sentence where you must choose the correct form or decide if the usage is correct. Try to apply the rules we’ve discussed and test your knowledge on distinguishing between these commonly confused forms.

You try…Use the correct form of use to. Decide if it is an adjective or verb. If it is a verb, does it use the base form of the verb, or does it need -ed?

1. Karen  play with dolls.        

2. Sheila wasn’t  having to cook for herself.        

3. Did Todd  go skiing in the Alps?       

4. I never  get up so late.        

5. His dog is  staying home alone all day.        

6. We didn’t  use to fight like this.        

7. I wonder if you will ever be  working so hard.       

8. She didn’t  sing so well, did she?        

9. Herbert  play basketball after school.     

10. They aren’t  staying out so late.  

Answer Key:

1. used to (verb)     
2. used to (adjective)   
3. use to (verb) 
4. used to (verb) 
5. used to (adjective)  
6. use to (verb)
7. used to (adjective) 
8. use to (verb)
9. used to (verb)  
10. used to (adjective)  

Frequently Asked Questions About “Used to” and “Use to”