B1business

Used To / Would / Be Used To - Business English

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These three structures look similar but do different jobs. Use "used to + infinitive" for past habits or states that are no longer true: "I used to commute to the office every day, but now I work from home." Use "would + infinitive" for repeated past actions, often when describing the past or telling a story: "In my first job, my manager would check in every Monday morning." Note that "would" works for repeated actions but not for past states, so you can say "I used to own a flat" but not "I would own a flat." The third structure is completely different. "Be used to + noun or -ing" means "be accustomed to" something: "After ten years in sales, I'm used to rejection" or "She's used to giving presentations to senior clients." To talk about becoming accustomed, use "get used to": "It took me a while to get used to the new software." A common pitfall is confusing the two: "I used to work nights" means you did it in the past but stopped; "I'm used to working nights" means it feels normal to you now. Watch the form too: in questions and negatives it is "didn't use to" / "did you use to" (no -d), and in the accustomed sense, when a verb follows it must be the -ing form ("used to working"), never the infinitive.

Let's practise. Type each answer and press Enter, I'll check it with you.

  1. Before the merger, our company (operate) as a small family business.
  2. I am not (work) such long hours in this new role.
  3. Every Monday morning, the manager (hold) a brief team meeting.
  4. She (not / use) a laptop when she first started her career.
  5. Are you (deal) with difficult clients on a regular basis?
  6. We (send) physical letters instead of emails ten years ago.
  7. During the negotiations, he (always / check) the contract details very carefully.
  8. The new intern is slowly getting (use) the company software.
  9. They (have) a much larger office in the city center.
  10. Whenever we had a budget crisis, the CEO (call) an emergency session.
  11. I am finally (present) my findings to the board of directors.
  12. My predecessor (be) much more strict about deadlines.
  13. In the past, we (travel) to London every month for sales calls.
  14. He isn't quite (manage) a team of twenty people yet.
  15. We (not / use) such advanced CRM systems in the nineties.
  16. Every time a project finished, the team (celebrate) with a lunch.
  17. Are they (work) in a high-pressure environment?
  18. The marketing department (focus) primarily on print media.
  19. She (always / arrive) early to prepare for her presentations.
  20. I am not (receive) so many notifications on my phone.
  21. The startup (not / have) any official investors.
  22. During the summer months, the office (be) much quieter.
  23. He is getting (use) the new reporting format.
  24. We (use) a different supplier for our stationery.
  25. When I was a trainee, my mentor (give) me helpful feedback every day.

Common questions

What is the difference between "used to do" and "be used to doing"?

"Used to do" describes a past habit or state that has stopped: "I used to work in finance" (I don't now). "Be used to doing" means you are accustomed to something, that it feels normal: "I'm used to working under pressure" (it doesn't bother me). The first is about the past; the second is about how something feels to you now.

When can I use "would" instead of "used to" for the past?

Use "would" for repeated past actions: "Every quarter, the team would review the budget together." You cannot use "would" for past states (situations, feelings, or possession). Say "I used to live in Berlin" and "I used to have a company car," not "I would live" or "I would have." When in doubt, "used to" is always safe; "would" only works for repeated actions.

Is it "used to" or "use to" in negatives and questions?

After "did" or "didn't," drop the -d: "Did you use to manage that account?" and "We didn't use to offer remote work." The -d stays only in the affirmative: "We used to offer it." This mirrors all past simple verbs, where "did/didn't" already carries the past tense, so the main verb returns to its base form.