Used to, get used to or be used to: tips so you don't confuse them again
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2025 4:39 am
In today's post we are going to review used to , get used to and be used to , three structures that are widely used in English and that are used to express habits in the present or the past. Below we will see how and when each one is used.
Free Download: English Verb Tenses
Used to
The simple past form of the verb to use is used to talk about habits mexico phone number list occurred in the past but are no longer in effect, for example:
I used to love waking up early when I was younger (but he doesn't like it anymore)
I used to travel a lot before I had children (now I don't travel so much anymore)
As we can see, used to is always accompanied by another verb below, which is the one that provides lexical meaning to the sentence.
It is important to remember that this expression is only used to talk about habits in the past. A very common mistake among English learners is to transfer it to the present:
I am used to exercise every day
In the present we can use the adverb usually or, simply, the simple present:
I (usually) exercise every day
Be used to
This expression is made up of the verb to be and the adjective used and is used to talk about habits in the present and situations that are habitual or normal for us. It is important to note that the adjective used is always followed by the proposition to and that the verb that accompanies it has an –ing form :
I am used to working in multicultural environments
Sharon isn't really used to having tight deadlines
Are you used to cooking for so many people?
Certainly, the structure could be confused with the previous one, as it is similar, especially in affirmative sentences. However, as we can see, since used is an adjective, its form does not vary in interrogative or negative sentences.
This expression cannot be conjugated in the past, but it can be conjugated in the future in the sense that in the future a situation will be habitual:
In 20 years, we will be used to seeing self-driving cars everywhere.
Free Download: English Verb Tenses
Used to
The simple past form of the verb to use is used to talk about habits mexico phone number list occurred in the past but are no longer in effect, for example:
I used to love waking up early when I was younger (but he doesn't like it anymore)
I used to travel a lot before I had children (now I don't travel so much anymore)
As we can see, used to is always accompanied by another verb below, which is the one that provides lexical meaning to the sentence.
It is important to remember that this expression is only used to talk about habits in the past. A very common mistake among English learners is to transfer it to the present:
I am used to exercise every day
In the present we can use the adverb usually or, simply, the simple present:
I (usually) exercise every day
Be used to
This expression is made up of the verb to be and the adjective used and is used to talk about habits in the present and situations that are habitual or normal for us. It is important to note that the adjective used is always followed by the proposition to and that the verb that accompanies it has an –ing form :
I am used to working in multicultural environments
Sharon isn't really used to having tight deadlines
Are you used to cooking for so many people?
Certainly, the structure could be confused with the previous one, as it is similar, especially in affirmative sentences. However, as we can see, since used is an adjective, its form does not vary in interrogative or negative sentences.
This expression cannot be conjugated in the past, but it can be conjugated in the future in the sense that in the future a situation will be habitual:
In 20 years, we will be used to seeing self-driving cars everywhere.