How has my life changed?

●
20 years ago ●
Now
 20 years ago...

●
I used to live in England. I didn't use to live in Spain.
●
I used to be a student. I didn't use to be a teacher.
●
I used to have short(er) hair. I didn't use to have
long(er) hair.
●
I used to watch cartoons. I didn't use to watch the
new.
●
I used to listen to music on a walkman. I didn't use to
listen to music on an MP3 player.
 Now...

●
I live in Spain.
●
I am a teacher.
●
I have longer hair.
●
I (usually) watch the news.
●
I (usually) listen to music on an MP3 player.
 Used to (repeated actions)
We use used to + infinitive to talk about repeated
actions/habits in the past that have changed now.

Repeated actions:

+ I used to play football every day. (solía jugar/jugaba)

- I didn't use to go to the cinema every week.
? When you were young, did you use to watch television
every day?
 Would (repeated actions)
We can also use would + infinitive to talk about
repeated actions/habits in the past.

Repeated actions:

+ I would play football every day. (solía jugar/jugaba)

- I wouldn't go to the cinema every week.
? When you were young, would you watch television
every day?
 Used to (states)
We can also use used to + infinitive (but not would) to
talk about states that have changed from the past to
now.

States:

+ When I was young, I used to live in England. (vivía)

- I didn't use to understand Catalan.
? Did you use to need glasses?
 Used to and usually

Remember: used to ONLY refers to the PAST. If you

want to talk about actions that you do regularly now,
use present simple with a frequency adverb such as
“usually”.

I used to play tennis when I was younger.

Now, I usually go running.
 Used to (spoken English)

In spoken English we use never used to +

infinitive more frequently than didn't used to

I never used to study when I was a child.

He never used to visit us except in the holidays.
 Used to (spoken English)
In spoken English we often omit the verb after
used to to avoid repetition.

Do you play tennis?

No. I used to (play tennis) but I don't (play tennis)
any more.

Do you speak French?

I used to when I was a child but I don't now.
 Used to/would
Would and used to are always followed by an infinitive.

I used to + infinitive affirmative

I didn't use to + infinitive negative
Did you use to + infinitive questions

I would + infinitive affirmative

I wouldn't + inifinitive negative
Would you + infinitive questions
NEF NEF
1 2
 Past simple
We do not use used to when talking about something that
happened only once, or for a specific number of times or length. In
these examples we must use the past simple.

I started school when I in 1982. I used to start school in

1982

I went to Germany twice. I used to go to Germany twice.

I played the violin for two years. I used to play the violin
for two years.
 Practice A

Write 4 sentences about how your life has changed

from 10 years ago. Make + and – sentences.

3 sentences must be true and one invented.

Form groups of 3 or 4 and read your sentences. Your

classmates have to guess which one is a lie.
Practice B (p135)
Practice C (p135)