Hello everyone, and welcome back to English with Lucy. I have a grammar video for you.
This is very exciting. It's been a little while since I've last posted a grammar video,
but this topic has been very highly requested.
Today we are going to talk about used to, use to, how are they different? Would, to
be used to, and to get use to. If you have any doubts about the use of these, then this
lesson is for you, and of course I have a quiz. There will be a quiz at the end of this
lesson for you to test your learning, so stay till the end.
I have created a PDF for the lesson. All of my email list subscribers get the PDFs for
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I would also like to send out a special thank you to Seonaid from Perfect English Grammar.
Her website helped so much with this video. It is the mother of all grammar websites.
I've put the link in the description box, check it out if you want to improve your grammar.
Before we get started, I would just like to thank the sponsor of today's video. It is
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Okay, let's talk about used to and use to. Firstly, let's focus on the pronunciation
because I know this is very confusing for many students. Because, when we say used on
its own, we use the Z sound and the D sound, used. But to say used to is quite a mouthful,
so you will hear speakers of English saying use to, use to.
That means that both used to and use to are pronounced in the same way in normal conversation,
used to, use to. This makes it slightly easier for you in spoken English, but in written
English, you do have to be careful. Let's focus on used to. We use used to to talk about
past habits that we don't do in the present, or past states that are no longer true. Used
to with the base form of a verb, also called the bare infinitive, but I'm going to call
it the base verb here.
I used to do yoga, but now I don't have time. I used to go to a language school, but I finished
the course. I used to live in Seville, but now I live in England. I used to be a waitress,
but now I'm a teacher. That's an example of a state. That's not talking about a habit,
something like, I used to have short hair. That wasn't a habit, that was a state.
That's using used with the D at the end, but you will see that people use use with no D
at the end. This is a point of confusion for many of my students. In questions and negatives,
we use use instead. I didn't use to like avocados, but now I love them. Did you use to work at
the corner shop? He didn't use to care about his appearance, but now he takes pride in
it. Did they use to go to the same school as us?
It's worth noting that when you use never, you do use used with the D. He didn't use
to care about his appearance. He never used to care about his appearance. We will do lots
of testing of this in the quiz at the end, but now it's time to talk about would. When
somebody is telling a story about the past, you might hear them use would, plus base verb.
When I lived in Seville, we would eat lunch at 4:00 PM. When I was studying Spanish, I
would watch Spanish TV shows.
Now, you might think, "Huh, so it's the same as use to." Not exactly. We can't use would
plus base verb to talk about past states, only past habits. An example, I would have
short hair, does not mean the same thing as, I used to have short hair. Or, I would live
in Seville, does not mean the same thing as, I used to live in Seville. So remember, would
plus base verb is only appropriate for past habits or repeated actions.
Let's move on to to be used to. When we want to talk about things that we are accustomed
to or things that feel normal to us, we use to be, plus used to, plus verb-ing. An example,
I'm used to running in cold weather, so I don't mind it. I'm accustomed to running in
cold weather. It feels normal to me to run in cold weather. Another example, my fiance
Will is used to working hard, so when we go on holiday, he becomes restless. Working hard
is normal to him, it is what he is accustomed to.
We can also use to be used to, plus noun or pronoun. I live in the countryside, so I am
used to mud. For example, wet soil. He is very handsome, so he is used to compliments.
He is accustomed to compliments. My sister is annoying, but I am used to her. Remember
that here the verb to be can be put into any tense. When I started waitressing, I wasn't
used to carrying trays of drinks. True story, I dropped so many trays of drinks. Soon I
will be used to taking public transport, so it won't be so intimidating.
Finally, we have to get used to, different to to be used to. Here you can think of to
get as to become, to become used to. You form it in the same way as to be used to. We use
to get used to, plus verb-ing. Or to get used to, plus noun or pronoun. We use it to talk
about a change in what we are accustomed to. Again, this can be used in any tense. At first
I didn't like stretching after running, but I got used to it.
Or, I am getting used to public speaking. I am becoming accustomed to public speaking.
Or, I hope I will get used to driving in London soon. True story, I have been driving for
four years and I still am not used to driving in London. I need to do it more to become
more accustomed to it. Okay. I hope this lesson clarified some of your doubts, but to make
sure it's fully in your brain, I now have a quiz for you. It's a multiple choice quiz.
You can write your answers in the comments section down below, or you can download the
PDF and do it on there.
Number one. When I started waitressing, I needed help with carrying trays, but now I
... them by myself. When I started waitressing, I needed help with carrying trays, but now
I am used to carrying them by myself.
Number two. I ... every day, but now I don't have time. I used to read English every day,
but now I don't have time.
Number three. Don't worry, this grammar is easy. You ... it in no time. Don't worry,
this grammar is easy. You will get used to it in no time.
Number four, I was surprised to see her running. She ... when I knew her. I was surprised to
see her running. She didn't use to run when I knew her.
Number five. When I had to get the train to work, I ... very early. When I had to get
the train to work, I used to get up very early.
Number six. When I was younger, I ... to the shop with my grandma to buy sweets. When I
was younger, I would go to the shops with my grandma to buy sweets.
Number seven. Whenever we went to London, we always ... in the Grand Hotel. Whenever
we went to London, we always used to stay in the Grand Hotel.
Number eight. When you were a teenager, did you ... to rap music? When you were a teenager,
did you use to listen to rap music?
Number nine. She didn't ... about fashion, but now she spends a lot of money on clothes.
She didn't use to care about fashion, but now she spends a lot of money on clothes.
Number 10. I don't like revising for exams, but I ... it. I don't like revising for exams,
but I am getting used to it.
Right, that is it for the quiz. Show your results in the comment section down below.
I really enjoyed making this grammar lesson for you. Thank you again to Seonaid from Perfect
English Grammar. Her website is in the description box. Don't forget to check out Lingoda. You
can €20 off your first month there. Just click on the link in the description box and
use my code, LUCY13.
Don't forget to download the free PDF for this lesson. The quiz is there as well. We've
got all of the explanations and examples. You can also connect with me on all of my
social media. I've got my Facebook, my Instagram, my new website englishwithlucy.co.uk, and
my mailing list. I will see you soon for another lesson.