Modals · CEFR A2 · Everyday
used to — English modal verbs
True before, not true now. Completely different from "be used to".
The shape
used to + plain verb
Talk about how life was before.
In Hindi
पहले सच था, अब नहीं। "be used to" से बिलकुल अलग।
CoCap explains every structure in both languages, because a rule you understand in Hindi is a rule you can use in English.
The mistake to fix first
The sentence Indian-English speakers actually produce, and the reason it is wrong.
| Commonly said | Correct English |
|---|---|
I am used to work there. | I used to work there. "Used to + verb" is the past. "Am used to + -ing" is a habit you have now. |
used to examples
Easiest first. Every sentence is authored, with the Hindi it comes from.
I used to live here.
मैं पहले यहाँ {रहता|रहती} {था|थी}।
She used to live in Pune.
वह पहले पुणे में रहती थी।
She used to walk here every day.
वह पहले रोज़ पैदल आती थी।
She used to get up early.
वह पहले सुबह जल्दी उठती थी।
She used to speak very little.
वह पहले बहुत कम बोलती थी।
I used to run every day.
मैं पहले रोज़ दौड़{ता|ती} {था|थी}।
We used to study together.
हम पहले साथ पढ़ते थे।
He used to work here.
वह पहले यहाँ काम करता था।
I used to not drink coffee.
मैं पहले कॉफी नहीं पी{ता|ती} {था|थी}।
also correct: I did not use to drink coffee.
She used to work in a call centre.
वह पहले कॉल सेंटर में काम करती थी।
Easy to confuse with
Close enough to be mixed up with this one. Knowing the difference is most of knowing either.
- would for past habitsB2Talk about how things used to be, like a storyteller
- be used to / get used toB2Say you have grown accustomed to something
Questions people ask
- What is the used to used for?
- True before, not true now. Completely different from "be used to". In practice: talk about how life was before.
- How do you form the used to?
- used to + plain verb.
- What is the most common mistake with the used to?
- Saying “I am used to work there.” instead of “I used to work there.”. "Used to + verb" is the past. "Am used to + -ing" is a habit you have now.
Where used to fits
Where this structure sits in the ladder, and what surrounds it.
used to is a CEFR A2 structure — the everyday band — and it belongs to modals. CoCap’s syllabus files every structure this way so you can learn in order instead of jumping between whatever a search happened to return.
Reading it is not the same as saying it.
CoCap turns this page into practice: Hindi sentence in, English sentence out, corrected one thing at a time. Free, no card.
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