The phrase 'used to' is used to talk about past habits or situations that were true in the past but are not true anymore. It indicates an action or state that was regular or habitual in the past, but no longer occurs in the present. 'Used to' is followed by the base form of the verb.
Définition
Form
The structure of 'used to' is as follows: Subject + used to + base form of verb.
Here are a few examples:
- I used to live in New York. (I no longer live there)
- She used to be a professional dancer. (She is not anymore)
- We used to go swimming every summer. (We don't do it anymore)
Définition
Negative Form
To form a negative sentence with 'used to', we add 'didn't' before 'used to' and the base form of the verb: Subject + didn't + used to + base form of verb.
Examples of negative sentences:
- I didn't use to play the piano. (I didn't play the piano in the past)
- They didn't use to like spicy food. (They didn't like spicy food in the past)
- She didn't use to go to the gym. (She didn't go to the gym in the past)
Définition
Question Form
To form a question with 'used to', we invert the subject and 'used to': Did + subject + use to + base form of verb?
Examples of questions:
- Did you use to live in Paris? (Did you live in Paris in the past?)
- Did they use to play soccer? (Did they play soccer in the past?)
- Did she use to watch that show? (Did she watch that show in the past?)
A retenir :
In conclusion, 'used to' is used to talk about past habits or situations that were true in the past but are not true anymore. It is a useful phrase to express changes or developments in one's life or experiences. Remember the structure for affirmative, negative, and question forms, and practice using 'used to' in conversation to perfect your English skills.
