Page 263 - Basic English Usage

354

In a formal style, used to can have the forms of a modal auxiliary verb
(questions and negatives without do).
Did you use to play football at school?(informal)
Used you to play football at schoo!?(formal)
I didn’t use to like opera, but now | do. (informal)
fused not to like opera, but now | do. (formal)
A contracted negative is possible. (/ usedn’tto like ...)

We do not use used to to say how long something took, or how often it
happened.
| lived in Chester for three years.
(NOT +sedto-tive in-Ghesterforthree-years-)
| went to France seven times.
(NOT +ttsed-te-gotoe fFrance-severtimes-)
Note the pronunciation of used /ju:st/ and use /ju:s/ in this structure.

Don't confuse | used to + infinitive | and | be used to... -ing
(see 354). The two structures have quite different meanings.

354 (be) used to + nounor ...-ing

After be used to, we use a noun or an -ing form.
The meaning is quite different from | used to + infinitive | (see 353).
If you say that you are used to something, you mean that you know it
well. You have experienced it so much that it is no longer strange to you
be used to + noun
I’m used to London traffic — |’ve lived here for six years.
At the beginning, | couldn't understand the Londoners, because
! wasn’t used to their accent.
We can use an -ing form after be used to, but not an infinitive.
be used to+...-ing
?’m used to driving in London now, but it was hard at the beginning.
(NOT #r-usedto-drive ...)
it was a long time before she was completely used to working with
old people.
Get used to means ‘become used to’.
You'll soon get used to living in the country.
For more information.about structures with ,see 181.