English grammar
Used to
Talk about childhood habits.
From the scene When I was little
In short
For old habits you've stopped, use used to + verb. Questions and negatives use did + use to.
- I / you / she / we used to play
- a past habit we used to go
- question Did you use to...?
- negative I didn't use to...
Your turn
Which one goes with a past habit?
Options: Did you use to...? · we used to go · used to play
Show answer
a past habit → we used to go
How it works
For things you did again and again in the past but don't do now, use used to + the base verb.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
No, it was very small. But (blank) lots of animals.
Clue: animals = more than one, in the past
Options: there was · there is · there were
Show answer
No, it was very small. But there were lots of animals.
No, era muy pequeño. Pero había muchos animales.
Good to know
I used to play, we used to go. It's the same for every person. In questions, use did + use to (no d): What did you use to do?
I / you / she / we used to play
Nuria
I used to play outside with my cousins.
Jugaba fuera con mis primos.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
I (blank) outside with my cousins.
Options: we used to go · Did you use to · used to play
Show answer
Nuria
I used to play outside with my cousins.
Jugaba fuera con mis primos.
a past habit we used to go
Nuria
Sundays, we used to go to the beach.
Los domingos, íbamos a la playa.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Sundays, (blank) to the beach.
Options: we used to go · used to play · Did you use to
Show answer
Nuria
Sundays, we used to go to the beach.
Los domingos, íbamos a la playa.
question Did you use to...?
Elena
How nice! What did you use to do?
¡Ah, qué bonito! ¿Y qué hacías?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
How nice! What (blank) do?
Options: used to play · we used to go · did you use to
Show answer
Elena
How nice! What did you use to do?
¡Ah, qué bonito! ¿Y qué hacías?
negative I didn't use to...
Your turn
What goes with I didn't use to...?
Options: negative · I / you / she / we · a past habit
Show answer
I didn't use to... → negative
Common mistake
Not use or uses here. A past habit.
I used to play outside with my cousins.
Jugaba fuera con mis primos.
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| I / you / she / we | used to play |
|---|---|
| a past habit | we used to go |
| question | Did you use to...? |
| negative | I didn't use to... |
More lines from the story
- NuriaWhen I was little, I lived in Galicia.De pequeña, vivía en Galicia.
- NuriaNo, it was very small. But there were lots of animals.No, era muy pequeño. Pero había muchos animales.
- ElenaI used to play in the street too. And I used to spy on the neighbours!Yo también jugaba en la calle. ¡Y espiaba a los vecinos!