The phrase used to is used to talk about habitual actions in the past.
Study the following examples.
- Do you get up early in the morning?
- I used to get up early in the morning, but now I don’t.
- Do you call your old friends?
- I used to call my old friends. I don’t call them anymore.
- Are there any lions in the zoo?
- There used to be three lions. Now there are no lions in the zoo.
- Do you have difficulty in speaking English?
- I used to have difficulty in speaking English. Now I don’t have any difficulty in speaking English.
- Is there any library in the vicinity?
- There used to be a library at the end of the street.
Exercise
Answer the following questions using used to.
1. Do they teach classical music at the academy? ……………………………………
2. Do you play football? ……………………………………………
3. Does he still borrow your car? ………………………………………….
4. Do they serve coffee here? ……………………………………….
5. Do you still call him? ……………………………………… ..
6. Do you still go for a walk in the morning? …………………………………… ..
7. Does she spend a lot of money on cosmetics? ………………………………………
8. Do you visit your grandparents often? …………………………………… .
Answers
1. They used to teach classical music at the academy, but now they don’t.
2. I used to play football, now I don’t.
3. He used to borrow my car, but now he doesn’t.
4. They used to serve coffee here, but now they don’t.
5. I used to call him, but now I don’t.
6. I used to go for a walk in the morning, but now I don’t.
7. She used to spend a lot of money on cosmetics, but now she doesn’t.
8. I used to visit my grandparents often.