B1daily

Used To / Would / Be Used To - Daily 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. When I was a child, I (play) in the park every afternoon.
  2. I am not (get up) so early in the morning yet.
  3. My father (smoke) a lot, but he quit last year.
  4. They (visit) their grandparents every summer when they lived in the countryside.
  5. Are you (live) in a big city?
  6. We (not / have) a dishwasher in our old kitchen.
  7. She (read) a book before going to sleep every night.
  8. He is finally (drive) on the left side of the road.
  9. Did you (go) to that cafe when you were a student?
  10. My brother (eat) a lot of sweets, but now he is very healthy.
  11. We (watch) old movies on Friday nights.
  12. I am slowly (work) from home.
  13. It (be) much colder in this town ten years ago.
  14. They (travel) to Europe every winter.
  15. She isn't (wear) glasses yet.
  16. My neighbors (be) very noisy, but they are quiet now.
  17. Every Sunday, my mom (bake) delicious chocolate cakes.
  18. Are they (eat) spicy food?
  19. I (not / like) vegetables when I was little.
  20. He (walk) to school every day when he lived nearby.
  21. We are still (use) this new software.
  22. There (be) a small grocery store on this corner.
  23. During the holidays, we (stay) at the beach.
  24. She is (study) late at night.
  25. Did he (play) the piano when he was younger?

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.