English Reference

Word

use to

Definition

fixed phrase. you use this to talk about something that happened often in the past but does not happen now.

fixed phrase. a semi-modal construction used to express habitual actions or states in the past that have since ceased. It functions as a marginal modal or a lexical auxiliary depending on the syntactic analysis.

Examples

“I used to play football every Saturday when I was younger.”

“She used to live in London, but she moved to a small village last year for a quieter life.”

“The building used to serve as a local library before it was repurposed into a modern community hub for digital arts.”

Examples

simple

“I used to play football every Saturday when I was younger.”

contextual

“She used to live in London, but she moved to a small village last year for a quieter life.”

complex

“The building used to serve as a local library before it was repurposed into a modern community hub for digital arts.”

Usage

always followed by the base form of a verb.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'be used to' (familiarity) and 'get used to' (process of becoming familiar); emphasize that 'used to' has no present tense form.

Pitfall

I didn't used to like spinach.

I didn't use to like spinach.

in negative sentences and questions with 'did', the 'd' is dropped because 'did' already indicates the past tense.

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Grade 2
Level
B1 · Intermediate
Updated

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English Reference