'Used To'

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'Used to + infinitive':

We use this expression to talk about habits or repeated actions in the past which we don't do in the present. We also use it to talk about states in the past which are no longer true. For example: Watch out! With the negative and the question it's 'use' and not 'used': Note! With this 'used to' there is no verb 'be'. We CAN'T say 'I am used to have long hair'.

Try an exercise about 'used to + infinitive' here.

'Would + infinitive'

We can also use 'would + infinitive' to talk about a habit or repeated action in the past. We usually use 'would + infinitive' in this way when we're telling a story about the past. So, we can say:

However, we don't use 'would + infinitive' to talk about states in the past. So, if we're talking about the past, we CAN'T say:

Try an exercise about 'used to' and 'would' here.

'Be used to':

We use 'be used to + verb-ing' to talk about things which feel normal for us or things that we are accustomed to:

Note that we make the negative or the question with the verb 'be' in the normal way. The 'used to' doesn't change: We can also use 'be used to + noun', which has the same meaning: We can put the verb 'be' into any tense. So we can talk about things in the past or the future as well as the present using this expression: We can use 'get used to + verb-ing' to talk about the change of not normal to normal. We can also use this in any tense:

Try an exercise about 'be used to' here.

Click here for a list of all the verb patterns exercises.