Modal Verb 'used to'
In this article we are going to study about the Modal Verb ‘used to’.
We use ‘used to’ to talk about a habit. Let’s see some of the concepts related to it.
Uses of Used to
Concept 1
To express a past discontinued habit/situation → We use ‘used (to)’.
We used to play here when we were kids.
There used to be a stadium here.
But we do not use ‘use to’ or ‘uses to’ to express present habit or routine action in affirmative sentences.
Instead we use simple present tense for such purpose.
He uses to play till 11 a.m. and takes his lunch at 12 noon. (incorrect)
He plays till 11 a.m. and takes his lunch at 12 noon. (correct)
Concept 2
Compare the use of ‘used to’ in affirmative/negative/interrogative sentence.
In Affirmative sentences
As we have already seen earlier, in affirmative sentences we use ‘used to’
Kohli used to play here.
In Negative sentences and Interrogative sentences
We use ‘used to’ or ‘did + use to’
But in such sentences use of ‘used to’ is considered old-fashioned and very formal.
Nowadays, we generally use ‘did’ along with ‘use to’ in such sentences.
Kohli used not to come here. (very formal)
Kohli did not use to come here. (preferred)
Kohli used to come here? (very formal)
Did Kohli use to come here? (preferred)
Concept 3
To showcase habitual action, we also use the following structure:
Pattern: verb/be + used to + $V_1$ + ing
I am used to working hard. (working - $V_1$ + ing)
I got used to smoking, when I was in college.
Apart from ‘used’, there are many other words that we can use in a similar manner to showcase habitual action etc.
For example: accustomed to, averse to, with a view to, addicted to, devoted to, in addition to, look forward to, object to, owing to, given to, taken to, prone to.
She is addicted to smoking.
She was looking forward to play in the district level tennis championship.