Use to and used to are two common phrases in English, but they have different meanings and uses.
Use to is a verb phrase that means to be accustomed to something. It is followed by a noun or gerund (the -ing form of a verb).
For example:
- I'm used to getting up early.
- She's used to working long hours.
- They're used to living in a big city.
Used to is a verb phrase that means to do something in the past but not anymore. It is followed by an infinitive (the base form of a verb).
For example:
- I used to play the piano, but I don't anymore.
- He used to live in London, but now he lives in New York.
- We used to go to the movies every week, but now we don't have as much time.
Here is a table to summarize the difference between use to and used to:
| Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Use to | Be accustomed to something | I'm used to getting up early. |
| Used to | Do something in the past but not anymore | I used to play the piano. |
Here are some more tips for using use to and used to correctly:
- Use to cannot be used in the past tense. For example, you cannot say "I was used to getting up early." Instead, you would say "I used to get up early."
- Used to can be used in the past tense, but it is not necessary. For example, you can say either "I used to play the piano" or "I played the piano when I was younger."
Used to can also be used in negative and question sentences. For example:
- I didn't used to like coffee, but now I love it.
- Did you used to live in this town?
Common mistakes:
One common mistake is to use use to instead of used to when talking about something in the past. For example, instead of saying "I used to play the piano," someone might say "I use to play the piano." This is incorrect.
Another common mistake is to use used to in the past tense. For example, someone might say "I was used to getting up early." This is also incorrect.
Use to and used to are two common phrases in English, but they have different meanings and uses. Use to means to be accustomed to something, while used to means to do something in the past but not anymore.
By following the tips above, you can use use to and used to correctly in your writing and speech.
