Unit 36 : Expressing Past Habits 1: Using Used To

 

Learn To Speak English

In this lesson of Learning English as a Second Language, we shall learn:

• How talk about Past Habits using Used To.

When we want to express a past habit or a repeated action, there are many ways to do that, but today we are just learning how to express a past habit or a past situation using "Used To"

First of all, I would like to tell you that "Used To" is just a verb phrase and it does not mean anything, like , Can , Should , Will and Be Going To do not have any meaning. Instead , they give a meaning, in the same way "Used To" does not have any meaning. Kindly, do not take "Used To" as the verb "Use".

Video Tutorial in English

Video Tutorial in Urdu

If you want to express a past habit , activity or  situation, you can use  "Used To" to express that.

e.g. when I was  young, I used to climb trees.   (a past habit)

       I used to sweep  myself until I bought a vacuum cleaner.  (a past activity)

       When Sara was 8 years old, she used to  be very shy.    (a past situation)

Please remember that  we use "Used To" for a  Past  habit ,  activity or situation not for Present habits or situations.

Structure of Used To

Affirmative :  Subject + Used to + First form of a verb + Object.

                        I         used to         sleep                     in the classroom.

Negative    :   Subject + did + not + Use to + First form of a verb + Object.

                        I          did    not    use to    sleep                   in the classroom.

Interrogative:  Did + Subject + Use to + First form of a verb + Object?

                       Did     you       use to         sleep                     in the classroom?

Short Replies:

1.    A:     Did you use to work in  a bank?

       B:     No , I didn't.

2.    A:     Did she use to exercise everyday?

       B:     Yes , she did.   

 

Exercise No.1 : Complete the following sentences using USED TO.

1.    Salma (play) tennis when she was young.

2.    They  (live) in Karachi but now they don't.

3.    I (be) a teacher but now I am a businessman.

4.    She   (dance) when she was young.

5.    I    (help) my mother in washing dishes.

6.    People    (give) importance to their religion but now they don't.

7.    People    (believe) that the world was flat.

8.    Tania had a wonderful job. She    (travel) a lot.

9.     I   (study) in a government school.

10.   Mr. Saleem     (live) in New York but now he lives in Karachi.

 

Check Answers

1. used to play
2. used to live
3. used to be
4. used to dance
5. used to help
6. used to give
7. used to believe
8. used to travel
9. used to study
10. used to live

Exercise No.2 : Translate the sentences in your Mother Tongue.

1. I used to play games with my friends.   
2. Jack used to live in Islamabad.             
3. Salma used to be very shy.                  
4. David used to be very lazy.                 
5. Kevin used to write a letter every week to his girl friend.
6. We used to exercise everyday.            
7. I used to get up at 5 in the morning      
8. Sandra used to wash clothes by hands but now she doesn't. 
9. I used to study for continuous 5 hours during examinations. 
10. He used to call me every day but now he doesn't.             

Urdu Translation

میں اپنے دوستوں کے ساتھ کھیل کھیلا کرتا تھا۔

جیک اسلام آباد میں رہتا تھا۔

 سلمہ بہت شرمیلی ہوا کرتی تھی۔

 ڈیوڈ بہت سست ہوا کرتا تھا۔

 کیون اپنی دوست کو ہر ہفتہ خط لکھا کرتا تھا۔

ہم ہر روز ورزش کرتے تھے۔

 میں صبح پانچ بجے اٹھا کرتا تھا۔

 سانڈرا ہاتھوں سے کپڑے دھوتی تھی مگر اب وہ نہیں دھوتی۔

 میںامتحانات کے دوران مسلسل پانچ گھنٹے پڑھا کرتا تھا۔

وہ مجھے ہر روز فون کرتا تھا مگر اب نہیں کرتا۔