When we want to talk about things we did regularly in the past but don’t do anymore, we use ‘used to’. This is perfect for describing old routines, repeated actions, or habits that were part of our life before but have now changed.Let’s look at some real-life situations:

• • I used to drink coffee every morning, but now I prefer tea.
  • My grandmother used to tell me stories before bed.
  • We used to live in Paris when I was a child.

Notice how all these actions happened regularly in the past and are no longer true today. This is the key to understanding ‘used to’ for past habits.

The structure is simple and stays the same for all subjects:Positive form: subject + used to + base verb

• • I used to play tennis every weekend.
  • She used to work in a bank.
  • They used to visit us every summer.

Negative form: subject + didn’t use to + base verb

• • I didn’t use to like vegetables when I was young.
  • He didn’t use to exercise regularly.
  • We didn’t use to have a car.

Question form: Did + subject + use to + base verb?

• • Did you use to play any instruments?
  • Did she use to live near here?
  • Where did they use to go on holiday?

Important: In negatives and questions, we write ‘use to’ (NOT ‘used to’) because ‘did’ already shows the past tense.

Use ‘used to’ when you want to emphasize that:1. The action was a regular habit or routine in the past
– I used to walk to school every day. (This was my daily routine)
– She used to call her mother every Sunday. (A regular weekly habit)

2. The action continued for a period of time in the past
– We used to go camping every summer for five years.
– He used to smoke for ten years before he quit.

3. The action is no longer true or no longer happens
– I used to be afraid of dogs. (Now I’m not afraid)
– They used to own a restaurant. (They don’t own it anymore)

4. You want to contrast the past with the present
– I used to stay up late, but now I go to bed early.
– This area used to be very quiet, but now it’s busy.

You’ll often hear ‘used to’ in these everyday situations:Childhood memories:

• • When I was little, I used to collect stamps.
  • We used to play in the park after school.
  • My dad used to read me bedtime stories.

Previous jobs or routines:

• • I used to work night shifts at the hospital.
  • She used to commute two hours each day.
  • We used to have team meetings every Monday.

Former living situations:

• • I used to live in a small village.
  • This building used to be a cinema.
  • There used to be a shop on this corner.

Changed habits or preferences:

• • I used to eat meat, but I’m vegetarian now.
  • He used to hate reading, but now he loves it.
  • We used to argue a lot, but we get along better now.

Relationships and friendships:

• We used to be best friends in school.
• I used to see my cousins every weekend.
• They used to date before they got married.

While ‘used to’ itself indicates past time, you can add time expressions to give more context:

• • I used to play football when I was younger.
  • In the 1990s, people used to listen to cassette tapes.
  • She used to visit her grandparents every holiday.
  • Before the internet, we used to write letters.
  • As a student, I used to study in the library.
  • We used to go there all the time.

These time phrases help your listener understand exactly when the habit occurred.

‘Used to’ vs. Simple Past:

• • ‘Used to’ emphasizes repeated habits: I used to swim every day. (regular habit)
  • Simple past can be one action: I swam yesterday. (single event)
  • Simple past can also show habits with frequency words: I swam every day when I was young.

‘Used to’ vs. ‘Would’ for past habits:

• • Both can describe past habits, but ‘would’ is more formal and literary.
  • ‘Used to’ works for habits AND states: I used to live in Rome. ✓ / I would live in Rome. ✗
  • ‘Would’ only works for repeated actions: Every summer, we would go to the beach. ✓

‘Used to’ vs. ‘Be used to’:

• ‘Used to’ = past habit: I used to drive to work.
• ‘Be used to’ = be accustomed to: I’m used to driving to work. (I’m comfortable with it)
• These are completely different meanings!

1. Use ‘used to’ to show nostalgia or reflect on change:
When sharing memories or discussing how life has changed, ‘used to’ adds an emotional layer: ‘Things used to be so different here’ sounds more reflective than ‘Things were different.’2. Combine with ‘but now’ or ‘anymore’ for stronger contrast:

• • I used to smoke, but now I’ve quit.
  • We don’t go there anymore. We used to go every week.

3. Use in storytelling about your past:
‘Used to’ makes your stories more engaging: ‘When I lived in Spain, I used to have coffee at this little café every morning.’

4. Avoid overusing it:
In a sequence of past habits, you don’t need ‘used to’ for every verb:

• • Good: ‘When I was a student, I used to live in a shared flat. We had parties every weekend and stayed up until dawn.’
  • Awkward: ‘When I was a student, I used to live in a shared flat. We used to have parties every weekend and used to stay up until dawn.’

5. Use for dramatic effect when describing change:
‘This street used to be full of life’ is more impactful than ‘This street was busy before.’