USED TO+INFINITIVE || PRESENT SIMPLE OF "USED TO” || POSITIVE SENTENCE || NEGATIVE SENTENCE || INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE: BY ENGLISH FOR YOU

Used to

It is used to talk about the things we did often in the past. However, we no longer do them. (MURPHY, 2019:36),

"It is used to show that a particular thing always happened or was true in the past, especially if it no longer happens or is no longer true"(CAMBRIDGE Advanced Learner's Dictionary)

Based on the concepts above, we conclude that "used to” is used to talk about anything a person did always, often and repeatedly in the past. However, now he or she does not do it anymore. Furthermore, it is used to talk about the things that took place always, often and repeatedly in the past, but now do not.

Look at the situation below:

Mr. Bow is a famous singer in Mozambique; he lives in Maputo now. Before he lives there, he lived in Gaza province. So look at the examples below:

Positive Sentence

Mr. Bow used to live in Gaza, but now he lives in Maputo.

To form positive sentence, we use "subject +used to + infinitive verb…” Infinitive verbs: go, do, write, read, etc.

More examples:

It used to rain a lot last year, but now it does not.

I used to cry a lot when I was still young.

 Negative Sentence

Mr. Bow did not use to live in Sofala,

To form negative sentence, we use "subject + did not use to + infinitive verb… (subject + used not to+ infinitive verb… it is possible as well)".

More examples:

I did not use to go to school at my teenager.

She did not use to sleep alone last year.

 Interrogative Sentence

Where did Mr. Bow use to live?

To form interrogative sentence, we use "did +subject + use to + infinitive verb…?”

More examples:

What did you use to do last year?

 Did you use to cry a lot when you were still young?

Present Simple of "Used to”

Murphy, on the same page, he goes on saying that you cannot say ' I use to do' to talk about the present, we use present simple (I do).

For example:

You cannot say, “Mr. Bow uses to live in Maputo now". This example is not correct.

You say, "Mr. Bow lives in Maputo now" this example is correct

More examples:

She loves her mother.

Mabermuda does not belong to 'Bawito Music' now.

 

Bibliography

Murphy, Raymond (2019) English grammar in use, UK: CUP, 5^th ed.

CAMBRIDGE Advanced Learner's Dictionary, 3^th ed.