Different uses of 'used to'

Do you know the difference between I used to drive on the left and I'm used to driving on the left? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how used to, get used to and be used to are used.

I used to want to be a lawyer but then I realised how hard they work!
How's Boston? Are you used to the cold weather yet?
No matter how many times I fly, I'll never get used to take-off and landing!

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar test 1: 'used to' + infinitive and 'be' or 'get used to' + '-ing': Grammar test 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Used to + infinitive and be/get used to + -ing look similar but they have very different uses.

used to

We use used to + infinitive to talk about a past situation that is no longer true. It tells us that there was a repeated action or state in the past which has now changed.

She used to be a long-distance runner when she was younger.
I didn't use to sleep very well, but then I started doing yoga and it really helps.
Did you use to come here as a child?

be used to and get used to

Be used to means 'be familiar with' or 'be accustomed to'.

She's used to the city now and doesn't get lost any more.
He wasn't used to walking so much and his legs hurt after the hike.
I'm a teacher so I'm used to speaking in public.

We use get used to to talk about the process of becoming familiar with something.

I'm finding this new job hard but I'm sure I'll get used to it soon.
It took my mother years to get used to living in London after moving from Pakistan.
I'm getting used to the noise now. I found it really stressful when I first moved in.

Be used to and get used to are followed by a noun, pronoun or the -ing form of a verb, and can be used about the past, present or future.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar test 2: 'used to' + infinitive and 'be' or 'get used to' + '-ing': Grammar test 2

Try another grammar lesson

Language level

B2 Upper intermediate

Hi itzSaif123457,

We use [used to + verb] to describe past habits or past typical states which are no longer true. For example:

She used to visit her grandparents every summer. [a regular habit which she no longer does]

We used to live in Paris. [we don't live there any more]

The negative and interrogative forms are regular: She didn't use to.... / Did she use to...

There is no present or future form of 'used to'.

As I mentioned above, 'used to' is followed by a verb (base form), so pronouns are not possible.

We use [be/get used to + -ing/noun] to describe when a situation becomes normal to us and stops being strange. For example:

We moved to the USA last year. At first it was very strange but we're used to it now.

I don't think I'll ever get used to being married!

I think I'm starting to get used to this job.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hi everyvone, i have a question. I think this sentence is wrong "It took my mother years to get used to living in London after moving from Pakistan", " ... after had moved from Pakistan" sounds more accurate, what i missing?

Hello Blizzard93,

The sentence is fine. You can say 'after she moved' or 'after she had moved', but 'after moving' is probably the most natural choice here.

Phrases such as 'after moving' take their time reference from the rest of the sentence. In other words, if the rest of the sentence had a future meaning (it will take...) then this phrase would also have a future meaning. Here you have a past time reference (it took...) so the phase is also located in the past.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

thanks a lot

hello I have a question
In what cases i have to use -ing form of a verb?

Hello beto97,

There are many different situations in which we use the '-ing' form. A good place to start is on our '-ing' forms grammar page.

All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team

I'm getting used to the working culture of my current company. It was fearsome before three years.

Hi i had a question "i am getting used to [sleeping] there" is sleeping a gerund or a verb(1st form+ing)

Hello yahys,

In this case, 'sleeping' is a gerund. This is because 'to' is a preposition, and prepositions are always followed by noun phrases. A gerund is the nominal ('noun') form of a verb.

The same is true in a phrase like 'He's looking forward to seeing you'.

All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team

I have a question about this:

Hi Westnur, Welcome! We hope you enjoy your English practice here :) If you mean a habitual action in the past (i.e. you don't do it any more), it should be I used to play football in the morning. But if you still play football, you can't use used to. It should be I play football in the morning (present simple). You can add an adverb like usually or regularly to emphasise the habitual meaning. Does that make sense? Best wishes, Jonathan The LearnEnglish Team

Dear Sir, In reference to above can't we use-I am used to playing football in the morning. Please correct me.