Used to + Infinitive

(example : I used to smoke)

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

Long Form Contracted Form

I used to smoke I did not use to smoke I didn't use to smoke Did you use to smoke?

The structure used to + infinitive is used to refer to a past habit or situation which no longer exists at the
present time.
It refers to past habits and states that do not exist today, something that you did regularly or repeatedly in the
past but no longer do today.
It exists only in the past.

Here are some examples :

Tom used to drink coffee. Now he prefers tea.
Julie used to fly from London to Paris. Now she takes the Eurostar.
I used to drive to work. Now I take the underground.
Bill used to live in Wales. Now he lives in Scotland.
Wendy used to eat meat. Now she's a vegetarian.

This structure cannot be used to say how often something happened, or how long it took.
Julie used to visit Paris seven times. Julie visited Paris seven times.
Bill used to live in Wales for three years. Bill lived in Wales for three years.

N.B. Do not to confuse 'used to' with 'to be/to get used to'. See more...

Be/Get used to
(example : to drive)

- Be/get 'used to' + noun

- Be/get 'used to' + -ing

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

Long Form Contracted Form

Are you used to

I am used to driving I am not used to driving I'm not used to driving
driving?

To be used to something means to be accustomed to it.

To get used to something means to become accustomed to it.
'Used to' refers to something that was strange before and has become familiar, something that you have learned
to accept.
'Used to' is followed either by a noun or by a verb ending in -ing.
Noun
Tom is used to noise.
Julie is used to hard work.
Verb
Tom is used to living in a noisy street.
Julie is used to working hard.
'Used to' is used with be and get in all tenses : past, present, future and conditional.
Now that I live in France, I am used to driving on the right.
Since I moved to the city, I have got used to noise.
Before I lived in Italy, I wasn't used to eating pasta.
I wasn't used to the weather. It took me some time to get used to it.

Subject Verb Noun Verb in -ing form

Tom is used to walking to work
Laura is not used to spicy food
Traffic wardens are used to noise
Tourists to Britain are not used to driving on the left
Our grandparents were not used to mobile phones
Ski instructors get used to cold weather
Pedro has got used to speaking English
Alex will get used to living in a big city