When it comes to learning English, there are many confusing grammar rules to master. One of these involves the use of “used to,” “be used to,” and “get used to.” These phrases may seem similar, but they have different meanings and uses. In this article, we will explore the differences between these three phrases and provide examples to help you understand how to use them correctly.
Understanding “Used to”
When we talk about something that happened regularly in the past but doesn’t happen anymore, we use “used to.” For example, “I used to play soccer every Saturday when I was a kid.”
We can also use “used to” to talk about something that was true in the past but isn’t true now. For example, “I used to live in New York, but now I live in Los Angeles.”
It’s important to note that “used to” is always followed by a base verb. For example, “I used to eat pizza every Friday” (not “I used to ate pizza every Friday”).
Here are a few more examples of “used to” in action:
- We used to have a dog, but he passed away last year.
- She used to be a vegetarian, but now she eats meat.
- They used to go to the beach every summer, but they haven’t gone in years.
Overall, “used to” is a simple but important phrase for talking about the past.
Distinguishing “Be Used to”
When we use “be used to,” we are talking about something that we are accustomed to or familiar with. It can be used to describe a situation, an activity, or a person.
For example, “I am used to waking up early in the morning” means that waking up early is something that I am familiar with and have become accustomed to.
It is important to note that “be used to” is always followed by a noun, pronoun, or gerund. For example, “I am used to the cold weather” or “She is used to running every morning.”
Additionally, “be used to” can be used in the negative form as well. For example, “I am not used to speaking in public” means that speaking in public is not something I am familiar with or have become accustomed to.
One common mistake is to confuse “be used to” with “get used to.” While “be used to” describes something that we are already accustomed to, “get used to” describes the process of becoming accustomed to something.
For example, “I am getting used to the new job” means that I am in the process of becoming familiar with the new job and adjusting to it.
In summary, “be used to” is used to describe something that we are already accustomed to, while “get used to” is used to describe the process of becoming accustomed to something.
Decoding “Get Used to”
When we use “get used to,” we are talking about the process of becoming accustomed to something. It is important to note that this phrase is used to describe a change in our behavior or feelings towards something, rather than a description of the thing itself.
For example, if we move to a new city, we might say “I need to get used to the traffic here.” This means that we are not used to the traffic yet and we need some time to adjust.
To use “get used to” correctly, we need to follow this basic structure:
Subject + Get Used To + Object
Here are a few examples:
- I need to get used to the new job.
- We are getting used to the cold weather.
- They got used to the noise of the city.
It’s important to note that “get used to” is always followed by a noun or a gerund (a verb ending in -ing used as a noun). We cannot use an infinitive verb after “get used to.”
Another important thing to remember is that “get used to” is different from “be used to.” “Be used to” describes a state of being accustomed to something, whereas “get used to” describes the process of becoming accustomed to something.
Used to vs Be Used to vs Get Used to
Learn how to use Used To, Get Used To and Be Used To in English Grammar.
When to Use “Be Used To”
We use the structure be used to something/ be used to doing something when we say that we are accustomed to something or something is normal for us, not strange or new.
For examples:
- Jenny is used to driving on the left.
- I’m not used to listening to loud music.
When to Use “Get Used to”
We use the structure get used to something/ get used to doing something to say that something is in the process of becoming normal or common.
For examples:
- Ski instructors get used to cold weather.
- Cindy had to get used to driving on the left.
When to Use “Used to do”
We use the structure used to do something when we talk about something we did regularly in the past, but do not do it now.
For examples:
- He used to live in London.
- We used to live there when I was a child.
Negative form:
Subject + didn’t + use to + V(base).
- He didn’t use to be a vegetarian.
Question Form:
Did + subject + use to + V(base)?
- Did he use to work in your office?
Used to vs Be Used to vs Get Used to | Images
