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.
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.
Hello _.Yacine._,
Yes, you can say that. However, you should use 'Since a couple of days ago' as you are referring to a point in time here, not a period of time.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Salam,Peter.....Is it correct to use since three days ago?we always say since is used before a point of time..
Hello Reda711,
Yes, you can say this, but I think it's more common to use for:
since three weeks ago > for (the last) three weeks
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Dear teachers,
can you please explain me why in the sentences like "I'm used to speaking in public" or "he wasn't used to walking so much" I must use the gerund ? is it because of the past simple and past continuous?
Hello Loredana Bonazzoli,
In this construction 'to' is a preposition, not a part of the infinitive. You can follow it with a noun or a gerund, not a verb. For example:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi teachers,
In the sentence: " The women gathered around the coffin and began to wail, as was the custom in the region"
I don't get why they they use " as was" here?
Pleas help explain the meaning of this sentence and advise which types the word "as" is ? is it conjunction?
If any, please also help share me a grammar lesson link related to the phrase "as + be+ N"
Many thanks for your help!
Hello Amy18295,
'as' can mean something like 'in the way that', which is the way it's used here I'd say. So what that clause means is that it was customary in that region for women to gather around a coffin and wail.
In this use, 'as' is a conjunction, though it can also be a preposition. I'd suggest having a look at our Using 'as' and 'like' page.
All the best,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team
Dear teacher,
I hope you're doing well and thanks for your prompt reply.
However, I have 1 more question for this case.
If "as" was a conjunction, so please help indicate the subject for the verb "was", following the word "as"
Thanks
Hello again Amy,
The word 'as' replaces the subject in this case. This is somewhat unusual grammar, though it does occur with a few other phrases similar to 'as is/was known' such as 'as was agreed' and 'as was expected'. In these cases, the verb is passive and 'as' acts as a kind of subject, though I'm not sure it's really proper to call it the subject.
When the verb isn't passive, the grammar is easier to make sense: 'as you know', 'as we agreed', 'as custom dictates', etc.
I hope that helps you make sense of it.
All the best,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team
Hi..
to be honest, this's a little bit confusing, I find it hard to understand the difference between "being familiar with something" (or not) and "the process of being familiar with something (or not)..
for example I say : "Even though I loved my old job, I couldn't used to the long hours."
example 2 : "Even though I loved my old job, I couldn't get used to the long hours."...so what is the difference between these two sentences? thanks.