How to Teach “Used To” in 6 Easy Steps

I used to recognize this…

Eventually, each English learner desires to grasp speakme, studying, and writing approximately the past. I’ve formerly presented recommendation on evaluating the simple past with the past progressive, however what about the short, commonplace past expression used to? I’ve frequently discovered that my students make errors with this expression, particularly in bad statements and questions. So what’s the quality way to educate them how to use used to?

1. Form

Used To + Base Verb

Used to is constantly observed through a base verb. Don’t forget about to tell your students that used to follows the regular past verb guidelines: it will become use to with the auxiliary verb did in questions and bad statements.

See phase 4 under for examples—make certain you give your students lots of examples with did and didn’t in order that they’ll bear in mind this modification!

2. Use

Used to is a unique expression in English. Its form and characteristic are similar to a modal (i.E., it gives greater records approximately the verb and is accompanied through a base verb). Used to shows that an movement changed into finished time and again in the beyond, but is not performed in the gift. It is commonly used whilst speakme approximately long durations within the beyond (e.G., childhood, school years, past process, and so on.).

3. Examples

I used to devour meat, however I don’t anymore.

They used to study English each day in high school.

Did you operate to play video games when you had been a toddler?

Did my sister use to sing when she became little? I neglect.

I didn’t use to play the piano as a infant, however I took instructions in a while.

My teacher didn’t use to provide us any homework. Now we get homework each day!

4. Tricky Points

Don’t forget about to point out on your college students that used to + base verb is NOT the same as the beyond participle of the verb use observed via an infinitive verb! This can be difficult for students. Try giving them the following examples:

He used to workout each day. (Form: used to + base verb. Meaning: He labored out frequently within the past however doesn’t anymore.)

This gadget is used to make student ID cards. (Form: use (gift passive) + infinitive verb. Meaning: Making pupil ID cards is the device’s function.)

When use indicates the function of some thing, it's far nearly constantly within the passive voice. Tell college students that in the event that they see the be verb before used, it's far possibly indicating function, no longer a beyond dependancy/ordinary.

And as previously mentioned, make sure you remind college students that used to will become use to whilst used with the auxiliary verb did. (See the examples above.)

5. Practice

Try our lesson Simple Past - I used to in our Basic Grammar Sentences phase. This six‑page lesson has a pair activity, a writing workout, a speakme hobby, and a amusing phrase search to be able to have your students the usage of used to properly in no time!

6. Fun Activity

When I educate used to, I often have my students do the following pair hobby. Have them draw two columns on a bit of paper. One column has the title “When I became a toddler…” and the other says “Now…” (I regularly write it at the board to expose them). If you train kids, you could make it "Two years ago…" and "Now…" rather.

Brainstorm subjects as a class, which includes food, transportation, games, hobbies, family, and so forth. Try to provide you with 10 subjects. Next, provide them a few examples of your very own, inclusive of “When I was a baby, I used to trip my motorbike. Now I drive a vehicle.”

Students can now ask their companions questions about the subjects and write down their solutions. (E.G., “What did you use to eat while you had been a child? What do you want to devour now?”) Make certain your college students solution the questions on their childhoods the use of used to!

Alternatively, you could get your college students to jot down their personal solutions for homework and talk them with a partner the following day.

What about be used to and get used to? Students often mistakenly agree with that those expressions have the equal form and that means as used to, but there are essential differences. Find teaching tips, activities, and a assessment chart on Used To, Get Used To, and Be Used To.