LONGMAN ENGLISH GRAMMAR PRACTICE

11 Modal auxiliarles and related verbs

11.11

11.11A

Study:

Ш

Modals to express habit: 'used to', 'will' and 'would'

The form of 'used to' [> LEG 11 .59]

1 Used to is a simple past form only. If you want to say 'I am in the habit of, you must use the

simple present [> 9.1 В]: I get up early every day. (Not 7 use to get up early")

2 We often use do and did + use (Not "used") to form questions and negatives:

Did you use to smoke? I didn't use to smoke. (Not "Did you used to* "I didn't used to")

We also use never to form the negative: I never used to smoke. (Used not to is rare.)

3 Note the use of did: He used to live in Manchester, didn't he? (rather than usedn't he?)

Did you use to live here? - Yes, I did./No, I didn't. He used to live here and so did I.

Write: Supply the missing forms in the following.

1 She used to be a singer, fUdtiC.

2 He never used to have grey hair

3 We

4

5 Did you use to smoke? - Yes, I

6 He used to work here and so

7 Where

8 You

she?

he?

enjoy physics, did we? (not/used to)

... smoke when you were young? (you/used to)

live? (you/used to)

(not/used to) eat so much.

11.11В Uses of 'used to' [> LEG I 1.60-62]

1 We use the simple past or used to to refer to past habit.

We need a time reference with the simple past [> 9.3C], but not with used to:

I collected stamps when I was a child. I used to collect stamps (when I was a child).

(Not 7 ivas collecting stamps when I was a child* [> 9.4B])

2 We use used to to make a contrast between past and present with expressions like:

but now..., but not any more, but not any longer:

I used to eat a large breakfast, but I don't any longer.

3 Used to can also refer to past states:

She used to be very punctual (but she isn't any more).

Write: Fill in the blanks with forms of used to or the past progressive (e.g. was living).

1 We for long walks in the country when my father was alive, (go)

2 I getting up early when I was very young. In fact, I still don't like it. (like)

3 you eating vegetables when you were young? (like)

4 I drive to get to work, but I don't any longer, (have to)

5 I never Sundays, but I do now. (enjoy)

6 I a bath when you phoned me. (have)

7 She an employee at the post office before she started her own business, (be)

8 There open fields all round our town when I was a boy. (be)

9 John and I abroad last year, (work)

10 it here yesterday? (rain)