Used to, would and be used to
Used to + infinitive describes past habits and states that are no longer true: 'I used to cycle to school.' Would also describes repeated past actions, but never states. Be used to + -ing means something feels normal now, and get used to describes the process of becoming familiar; the forms look alike but mean different things.
The rule
How to use 'used to' and its relatives
Past habit or state
subjectused toinfinitive
Mariam used to keep chickens behind the house.
Negative
subjectdidn't use toinfinitive
I didn't use to enjoy spicy food at all.
Question
Didsubjectuse toinfinitive?
Did you use to share a room with your brother?
Repeated past action
subjectwouldinfinitive
Every summer, we would swim in the river before breakfast.
Familiarity now
subjectbe used tonoun/-ing
She is used to driving on the left now.
Becoming familiar
subjectget used tonoun/-ing
You will get used to the early starts.
Inside a sentence
Mariamsubjectused toused tokeepinfinitivechickens behind the house.
DidDidyousubjectuse touse toshareinfinitivea room with your brother?
Shesubjectis used tobe used todrivingnoun/-ingon the left now.
- subject
- helping verb
- main verb
Signal words
- when I was a child
- as a child
- in those days
- back then
- in the past
- any more
- no longer
Which one do I need?
Used to, would or be used to?
Every answer at a glance
be used to + noun / -ing
Something is familiar and no longer strange. Here to is a preposition, so a verb after it takes -ing.
After two years in Dhaka, Kofi is used to driving in heavy traffic.
get used to + noun / -ing
This is the process of becoming familiar, and it works in any tense: is getting used to, got used to, will get used to.
Most international students get used to the British accent within a term.
Present simple (+ usually)
Used to has no present form. For a habit now, use the present simple with an adverb such as usually.
I usually cycle to the library on weekdays.
did / didn't + use to (no -d)
Did already carries the past tense, so write use to without -d after it. Avoid didn't used to in the exam.
Did your town use to have a railway station?
used to + infinitive
Would cannot describe states such as being, having, living, liking or knowing, so only used to works here.
There used to be a fish market where the shopping centre is now.
used to or would + infinitive
Both describe repeated past actions, so either is correct, and mixing them adds variety. Write used to with -d.
Every Friday, my grandmother would cook a huge pot of biryani for the whole street.
How to use used to, would and be used to
What does 'used to' mean?
Used to + infinitive describes habits and states that were true in the past but are not true now: things you did regularly, or how things were. The contrast with the present is built into the meaning; saying you used to smoke implies you no longer do.
It exists only in the past. For present habits, use the present simple with an adverb like 'usually'; there is no such thing as a present-tense 'use to'.
- My grandfather used to repair radios for a living.past occupation, no longer true
- There used to be a cinema on this corner.past state
- I use to play cricket every weekend.no present form → I usually play (now) or I used to play (past)
'Used to' or 'would'?
Both describe repeated past actions, and skilled speakers mix them for variety. The difference appears with states: would only works with actions.
If the verb describes having, being, liking, living or knowing (a state) you must use 'used to'. This is the single most common error learners make with 'would'.
- On winter nights, my father would read to us by the stove.repeated action → would is fine
- We used to own a noisy old generator.state → used to
- We would own a noisy old generator.states refuse 'would' → used to own
What does 'be used to' mean?
Be used to + noun or -ing means something is familiar and no longer strange. Despite the spelling, it has nothing to do with past habits; it describes the present, and the 'to' is a preposition, which is why a verb after it takes the -ing form.
- After five years in Manchester, Tunde is used to the rain.familiar now
- Nurses are used to working through the night.preposition 'to' + -ing
- I am used to wake up before dawn.→ used to waking up
What does 'get used to' mean?
Get used to describes the process of becoming familiar with something new. It appears in every tense: you can be getting used to a new city now, have got used to it already, or promise yourself you will get used to it eventually.
- It took me months to get used to the night shift.the adjustment process
- She is slowly getting used to her hearing aid.
- He never got used to the humidity in Kuala Lumpur.the adjustment never happened
Spelling: 'used to' or 'use to'?
In positive sentences, always write 'used to' with -d. After did or didn't, the auxiliary already carries the past tense, so the bare form 'use to' is the exam-safe choice. You will meet 'didn't used to' in informal writing, but avoid it in IELTS.
- Did she use to work with you at the port?bare 'use to' after did
- Did she used to work with you at the port?the -d is already on 'did'
Common mistakes with used to, would and be used to
Find what is wrong in each one, then open it to check.
1He use to work in a textile factory.What's wrong? Show the fix
He used to work in a textile factory.
In a positive past sentence there is no auxiliary to carry the tense, so 'used to' must keep its -d.
2She didn't used to eat vegetables.What's wrong? Show the fix
She didn't use to eat vegetables.
After didn't, the past tense is already marked on the auxiliary, so the bare form 'use to' follows.
3I am used to get up at five.What's wrong? Show the fix
I am used to getting up at five.
In 'be used to', the word 'to' is a preposition, so it must be followed by a noun or an -ing form, never a bare infinitive.
4We would live in a small flat near the port.What's wrong? Show the fix
We used to live in a small flat near the port.
'Would' cannot describe past states like living or owning; states need 'used to'.
5I used to living alone now.What's wrong? Show the fix
I am used to living alone now.
'Now' shows the meaning is present familiarity, which requires be used to + -ing, not the past-habit structure.
6She will used to the noise soon.What's wrong? Show the fix
She will get used to the noise soon.
The process of becoming familiar needs the verb get: will get used to; 'used to' alone cannot follow 'will'.
Practise
Write your own
Write a sentence of your own with used to, would and be used to, about you, your studies or your town.
Used to, would and be used to in IELTS
Speaking
- Part 1 questions about your hometown or childhood are an open invitation: “My neighbourhood used to be full of rice fields, but it's all apartment blocks now.” That before-and-after contrast shows range and directly answers the question.
- In Part 2 stories about the past, alternate 'used to' for scene-setting states and 'would' for repeated actions: “We used to spend summers at my uncle's farm, and every morning we would feed the goats.” Examiners hear the pairing as natural, flexible English.
Writing
- In Task 2 essays about social change, 'used to' frames the past side of a contrast cleanly: “Families used to rely on a single breadwinner, whereas double incomes are now the norm.” It is shorter and more natural than 'in the past, people relied…'.
- Use 'get used to' when discussing adaptation in Task 2: “Migrant workers must get used to new labour laws, languages and customs simultaneously.” It shows command of a pattern most candidates avoid.