Used to, would, be / get used to doing - Exercises

I. ‘Used to + infinitive’

 We use this structure when we talk about past habits, states and actions which
happened regularly in the past, but don’t happen at present.
 We use ‘used to + infinitive’ (NOT would) with state verbs such as for example:
be, have, like, love, know, etc.
 This structure is used only in the past. There is no present form. If you want to talk
about habits in the present, you can use the Present Simple, especially with ‘usually’.

Note that when we use ‘used to + infinitive’ in negative statements and questions, we have to use
‘didn’t’ and ‘did you/she/we etc.’ – the same rule as in the Past Simple.

Positive statements:
I used to eat a lot of ice-cream when I was a kid.
Anna used to play the piano, but now she doesn’t have time for it.
Robert used to be a rascal, but now he is a very reasonable and reliable man.

Negative statements:
I didn’t use to drink cola in the past.
They didn’t use to be so unkind.
We didn’t use to like living in a big city.

Questions:
Did you use to play computer games when you were a child?
Did she use to be a stubborn kid?
Did Andrew use to play football when he was at primary school?

II. ‘Would + infinitive’

 To talk about past habits and repeated actions which happened over a long
period of time, but don’t occur currently, we can also use ‘would + infinitive’
instead of ‘used to + infinitive’.
However, we can’t use it to talk about past states! In this case we have to use
‘used to + infinitive’.
 As you can see, ‘used to + infinitive’ has got a wider use (past habits, actions and
states)

E.g. When we were children, we lived in the mountains. In winter, we would ski and
sledge.
Whenever my grandma baked bread, we would go to her and eat it when it was still
warm.

Note: We use the Past Simple for an action which happened only once.

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III. ‘be/get used to doing something’

 We use this structure when we want to say that somebody is or has become
accustomed to doing something.
 When we are used to doing something, it means that it is not new or strange for us.

E.g. I’m not used to getting up early.

Anna works for a big multinational company. At first she had a problem with adjusting
to new regulations and company policy.

She wasn’t used to working for a big company.

But after some time, working there is not a problem for her any more.

She got used to working there.

Now she is used to working for a big company.

Ex. 1 Complete the sentences with ‘used to + infinitive’ and words in brackets.

1. Anna ............................. (drive) a car, but she sold it a few years ago and currently she
enjoys going on foot everywhere.
2. I ............................. (not/eat) meat when I was a teenager, but I can’t imagine my life
without it nowadays.
3. ............................. (you / go) to the theatre when you lived in Manchester?
4. We ............................. (be) good friends, but we don’t talk to each other these days.
5. Andrew ............................. (read) newspapers, but he prefers to buy electronic
versions now.
6. The Smiths ……………. (go) abroad on holiday, but they enjoy discovering new
places all over the world now.
7. We ............................. (not / be) obedient children, unfortunately.
8. I ............................. (play) the guitar, but I don’t do it any more.
9. ............................. (she / study) hard when she was at university?
10. Anna ............................. (not / like) Joseph, but now he’s her husband.
11. We ............................. (spend) a lot of money on books in the 1990’s.
12. ............................. (they / go out) every evening when they were young?
13. I ............................. (not / eat) fast food as a child. My parents didn’t let me.

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Ex. 2 Choose the correct answer to complete each sentence.

1. At first, I had great difficulty doing my job as a nurse, but after some time I get
used to ……………….. with patients.
a) work
b) working

2. I don’t want to have children. I don’t think I will ever be able to get used to
……………….. after them.
a) look
b) looking

3. I didn’t use to ……………….. a lot of books, but now I spend much time in the library.
a) read
b) reading

4. I’m not used to ……………….. what I should do. It drives me crazy when people do it.
a) be told
b) being told

5. I wasn’t used to ……………….. in a tent, but few years ago we went camping and it
became much easier for me.
a) sleep
b) sleeping

6. Did you use to ……………….. lots of sweets when you were a child?
a) eat
b) eating

7. Sheila works as a sales representative so she’s used to ……………….. people.

8. I can’t get used to ……………….. weak coffee. For me it’s totally bland and tasteless.
a) drink
b) drinking

9. I didn’t use to ……………….. Anna when we were children, but now we’re good
friends.
a) like
b) liking

10. In the past I used to live alone so I wasn’t used to ……………….. every day.
a) cook
b) cooking

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 11. My daughter became a model a few months ago, but I’m still getting used to
……………….. her on the catwalk.
a) see
b) seeing

12. I used to ……………….. cheese, but now I hate its smell.

13. They aren’t used to ……………….. on foot anywhere. They always choose their
own car or a taxi.
a) go
b) going

14. My boss used to ……………….. an amicable person, but he changed when he got
divorced.
a) be
b) being

15. Yesterday, Anna and Becky were playing volleyball all afternoon. They were
dog-tired because they weren’t used to ……………….. much exercise.
a) do
b) doing

Ex. 3 Decide if one or both of the options in italics is/are correct.

1. I would spend / used to spend all days outdoors when I was at school.
2. I would play / used to play the piano at primary school, but then I decided to give it
up.
3. My parents would change / changed their jobs few times in previous years.
4. My dad would read / used to read me bedtime stories before I fell asleep.
5. This small village would be / used to be a great place to spend weekends in 1990’s.
6. A big city isn’t my dream place, but I think I’m getting used to live / living in it.
7. My grandmother would cook / used to cook for my whole family on Sundays, but she
passed away a few years ago.
8. I would listen / used to listen to heavy metal when I was a teenage boy.
9. Her parents would be / used to be very caring when she was growing up.
10. Peter isn’t used to commute / commuting to work every day.