Master ‘used to’ and ‘didn’t use to’ for past habits & states at A2 level! Free English grammar test with clear explanations, examples, and exercises to talk about things that changed.
Past Habits Exercises (Used To + Infinitive)
We are learning how to talk about things that were true in the past but are not true now. For things that happened in the past or habits we had in the past, we use “used to” + infinitive.
Affirmative (+) Structure:
subject + used to + infinitive
Examples:
- I used to live in a small village. (Now I live in a city.)
- She used to have long hair. (Now her hair is short.)
- We used to play football every day after school.
- My grandfather used to ride a bicycle to work.
Negative (-) Structure:
subject + didn’t use to + infinitive(We write “use” without “d” in negative)
Examples:
- I didn’t use to like coffee. (But now I love it!)
- He didn’t use to have a smartphone.
- They didn’t use to travel a lot.
- My sister didn’t use to eat vegetables when she was little.
Questions (?) Structure:
Did + subject + use to + infinitive?
Examples:
- Did you use to walk to school?
- Did your parents use to live in another country?
- Did she use to wear glasses?
- Did people use to write letters instead of emails?
Important Notes for A2 Learners
- We only use “used to” for things that happened a lot or were true for a long time in the past.
- We DO NOT use it for things that only happened once.
- Correct: I used to go swimming every summer. (many times)
- Wrong: I used to go to Paris last year. (only once → use past simple)
- “Be used to” is not the same! I am used to getting up early. It’s normal for me now.
