USED + INFINITIVE English grammar lesson and exercises
In this complete tutorial about USED + INFINITIVE English grammar for beginners, learners would be able to learn how to use the structure “used to + infinitive”.
Used to + infinitive is used to refer to a past activity or situation which no longer exists at the present time.
It refers o past habits and states that do not exist today; something that you did regularly in the past but you don’t do it in the present. Used to + infinitive can only refer to a past time.
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Here is an English grammar lesson and exercises about “used to + infinitive structure’.
Here is Joey in the past: Here is Joey in the present:
Joey used to work in a car wash. Now he works in a bus company.
used + infinitive this means;
=to describe a habit or regular action from the past.
= We do not have this habit or do the action in the present.
This is Derek Hough. He is a famous ballroom dancer.
He used to dance in Dancing with the Stars.
Now he dances for his own show.
Subject + used + main verb
(past simple of “use”) (infinitive form)
I used to dance.
You used to dance.
He/she/it used to dance
We used to dance
You used to dance
They used to dance
2. Affirmative form
used + infinitive -This structure only has a past form.
For example:
I used to dance ballroom.
There is no infinitive form of use:
I am going to use to dance ballroom. X
There is no -ing form:
I am using to dance ballroom. X
There is no present form:
I use to play football. X
If you want to describe a habit or regular action in the present, we use the present simple.
I dance ballroom every day.
Negative Form
Lionel Messi did not use to play for Liverpool.
Subject + did not + “use” + verb
(base form) (infinitive form)
I did not use to play
You did not use to play
He/ she/ it did not use to play
We did not use to play
You did not use to play
They did not use to play
Contracted form (negative)
Full Form | Contracted form |
I did not use to play | I didn’t use to play |
You did not use to play | You didn’t use to play |
He/ she/ it did not use to play | He/ she/ it didn’t use to play |
We did not use to play | We didn’t use to play |
You did not use to play | You didn’t use to play |
They did not use to play | They didn’t use to play |
Question Form 1
“Did you use to dance ballroom?” this is the structure and the sentence ends with a question mark.
Did + subject + use + verb ?
(base form) (infinitive form)
Did I use to dance?
Did you use to dance?
Did he/ she/ it use to dance?
Did we use to dance?
Did you use to dance?
Did they use to dance?
Question Form 2
Where did they use to go on Saturday?
Why did you use to get up at 4:30 in the morning?
What did you use to eat for lunch?
The rule here is we have the words:
Habits in the past 1
Used + the infinitive – to describe a habit or regular action that we had in the past. We do not have this habit or do this action in the present.
For example:
Past Present
1. Dave used to drink alcohol. He no longer drinks alcohol.
2. Joey used to jog every evening. Joey watches TV every evening.
States in the past
Used + the infinitive – to describe a state that we had in the past.
We do not have this state in the present.
For example:
Past Present
1. Rob used to like slow rock music. Now he likes jazz music.
2. Rob used to be a car washer. Now he is a bus driver.
3. Rob used to like beef steak. Now he prefers fruit.
Practice exercise 1
Complete the sentences with the positive, negative or question form of “used to” using the verb in brackets:
1. I ____________ (work) in the Twin Towers.
2. ____________ (leave) the classroom at 4 : 00 pm?
3. I ____________ (forgive) him.
4. He ____________ (beat) me.
5. The teacher ____________ (speak) English in the classroom.
6. He ____________ (write) a lot.
7. She ____________ (spend) time in the supermarket.
8. We ____________ (not /
play) outside.
9. He ____________ (not /write) five stories a day.
10. ____________ (She / eat) three times a day?
Answers:
1. used to work 6. used to write
2. Did you use to leave 7. used to spend
3. used to forgive 8. didn’t use to play
4. used to beat 9. didn’t use to write
5. used to speak 10. Did she use to eat
Practice exercise 2
Complete
the sentences with the positive, negative or question form of “used
to” using the verb in brackets:
Top of Form
1.
Sarah ____________ good at dancing. (be)
2.
When I was young, I ____________ fish but now I eat it all the time. (not
eat)
3. I ____________ piano lessons. (have)
:
4. Where did they ____________ to school? (go)
Answers:
1. used to be
2. didn’t use to eat or did not use to eat
3. used to have
4. use to go
Downloadable Material
Here’s the downloadable material of Tutorial on USED + INFINITIVE English grammar here.
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