unit 5b
2. GRAMMAR- Usually vs. Used to
1. usually
I don't usually eat bread for lunch.
How often do you usually go to the cinema?
Mistakes: I use to go to bed at 10 every night. (WRONG)
(Say I usually go to bed at 10 every night.)
2. used to (+ infinitive)
I didn't use to eat bread for lunch, now I can't live without it.
How often did you use to go to the cinema 10 years ago?
(I used to smoke. = I smoked for a period of time in the past
but now I don't.)
I used to like cartoons but I don't any more / any longer.
Mistakes: I didn't used to wear a uniform at school. (WRONG)
(Say I didn't use to wear a uniform at school.)
Mistakes: Don't confuse "used to + infinitive" with be / get used to,
e.g. I'm used to hard work. (=estar acostumbrado a)
e.g. She is getting used to waking up early for her new job. (=acostumbrarse a )
1. usually
- present habits and states
I don't usually eat bread for lunch.
How often do you usually go to the cinema?
Mistakes: I use to go to bed at 10 every night. (WRONG)
(Say I usually go to bed at 10 every night.)
2. used to (+ infinitive)
- past habits and states
I didn't use to eat bread for lunch, now I can't live without it.
How often did you use to go to the cinema 10 years ago?
- for things what were true over a period of time in the past. It
(I used to smoke. = I smoked for a period of time in the past
but now I don't.)
- can be used with action verbs (wear, go out, ...) and non-action verbs (be, have, ...).
- You can use them with not ... any more / any longer to contrast.
I used to like cartoons but I don't any more / any longer.
Mistakes: I didn't used to wear a uniform at school. (WRONG)
(Say I didn't use to wear a uniform at school.)
Mistakes: Don't confuse "used to + infinitive" with be / get used to,
e.g. I'm used to hard work. (=estar acostumbrado a)
e.g. She is getting used to waking up early for her new job. (=acostumbrarse a )
To be used to (+ ING) - estar acostumbrado a
- We were used to the sunny weather of the coast.
Estábamos acostumbrados al clima soleado de la costa. - Joan is used to dealing with children.
Joan está acostumbrada a tratar con niños. - Mr. Jones wasn't used to all that luxury.
El señor Jones no estaba acostumbrado a todo ese lujo. - They must be used to their noisy neighbours.
Deben de estar acostumbrados a sus vecinos ruidosos. - I am not used to travelling by plane.
No estoy acostumbrado a viajar en avión.
To get used to (+ ING) - acostumbrarse a (si sigue verbo, es un gerundio)
- People get used to new technologies.
La gente se acostumbra a las nuevas tecnologías. - Paul never got used to living in the country.
Paul nunca se acostumbró a vivir en el campo. - I was getting used to working with Michael.
Me estaba acostumbrando a trabajar con Michael. - We had got used to having you around.
Nos habíamos acostumbrado a tenerte por aquí. - I will never get used to getting up early.
Nunca me voy a acostumbrar a levantarme temprano.
If you want to read more and do on-line activities, click on the link below:
Confusing structures used to / be used to / get used to
Confusing structures used to / be used to / get used to
Pay attention to the common mistakes of Used to
Uses of Used to
Used to and would
SONG- This used to be my playground- Madonna
SONG- Somebody that I used to know- Gotye
More songs with used to
5. PRONUNCIATION
· The word used is pronounced differently depending on its meaning, when it means past habits and states it is pronounced /s/ (I used to travel to London every summer) but /z/ when it means take something with a particular purpose it is pronounced /z/ (I used his pen to sign the contract.)
· The word close also is /z/ when it's a verb (Close the window) but /s/ when it's an adjective as in a close friend.
· The word close also is /z/ when it's a verb (Close the window) but /s/ when it's an adjective as in a close friend.