English Grammar Exercises for B1- used to

1. Complete the sentences with the correct form of used to.

1) I know this town well. We ________ (visit) here a lot when I was younger.

2) You ________ (love) swimming. Why don’t you like it now?

3) Your dad is fantastic at football. ________ he ________ (play) a lot?

4) Our town ________ (have) good sports facilities, but now there’s a great new sports centre.

5) She sounds American. ________ she ________ (live) in the USA?

6) I ________ (argue) a lot with dad, but we get on really well now.

7) He speaks Spanish really well because he ________ (go) to university in Madrid.

8) I ________ (be) interested in films, but I go to the cinema a lot now.

9) mum ________ (make) dinner every night, but now dad cooks at weekends.

10) grandparents ________ (go) abroad at all, but these days, they often visit other countries.

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1) used to visit   2) used to love   3) Did, use to play

4) used to have   5) Did, use to live   6) used to argue

7) used to go   8) didn’t use to be   9) used to make

10) didn’t use to go

2. Complete the sentences with the correct form of used to. Use the word in brackets and any other necessary word.

1) (sea) We didn’t use to live near the sea, but we live near it now.

2) (glasses) ________, but I wear them now.

3) (milk) ________, but I don’t drink it now.

4) (dogs) ________, but I’m not afraid of them now.

5) (stamps) ________, but he doesn’t collect them now.

6) (teacher) ________, but she isn’t one now.

7) (Japanese) ________, but she speaks it now.

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2) I didn’t use to wear glasses   3) I used to drink milk

4) I used to be afraid of dogs   5) He used to collect stamps

6) She used to be a teacher   7) She didn’t use to speak Japanese

3. Complete the sentence in five different ways with used to (affirmative or negative) and the verbs in brackets.

When I was eight years old, ___

1) (eat) ________.

2) (wear) ________.

3) (play) ________.

4) (like) ________.

5) (be afraid) ________.

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your own answers

4. Look at the pictures of Jackie twenty years ago. Complete the questions with the correct form of used to and the verbs below. Then write the answers.

go      have      live      play      sleep      wear      work

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1) Did she use to live in London?

  No, she used to live in Paris.

2) _____. short hair?

  ________.

3) _____. in a shop?

     ________.

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4) _____. football at weekends?

  ________.

5) _____. a tracksuit?

     ________.

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6) _____. skiing in the winter?

  ________.

7) _____. in a hotel?

     ________.

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2) Did she use to have; No, she used to have long hair.

3) Did she use to work; No, she used to work in a café.

4) Did she use to play; No, she used to play tennis.

5) Did she use to wear; No, she used to wear shorts and a T-shirt.

6) Did she use to go; No she used to go horse riding in the winter.

7) Did she use to sleep; No, she used to sleep in a tent.

5. Tick the correct phrase to complete the sentences.

1) She moved to Canada two years ago, but she ______ living in a cold country.


a didn’t use to               

b hasn’t got used to

2) I ______ angry a lot, but I’m much calmer now.


a used to get                  

b got used to

3) They ______ like the same music, but they don’t now.


a used to                         

b got used to

4) I like your new glasses. ______ wearing them?


a Did you use to            

b Have you got used to

5) I hated this flat when we moved in, but I ______ it now.


a used to                         

b have got used to

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1) b   2) a   3) a   4) b   5) b

6. Complete the dialogues with the correct form of used to and the verbs in brackets.

1)  a _________________ (you / watch) a lot of cartoons when you were a child?

b No, I ______________ (not watch) much television. I ________ (play) outside with friends when I could.

2)  a brother has got a new job in a shop.

b Really? What ________? (he / do)


a He ________ (work) in a factory, but he ________ (not like) it very much.

3)  a Where ________ (you and your family / spend) the summer holidays?

b We ________ (not have) a family holiday because parents were working. But brother and I ________ (go) and stay with grandparents in the country.

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1) Did you use to watch; didn’t use to watch; used to play

2) did he use to do; used to work; didn’t use to like

3) did you and your family use to spend; didn’t use to have; used to go

7. Complete the sentences with used to or get used to.

1) sister ______________ cry a lot when she was a baby.

2) Mike has just moved to the city from the country and he can’t ______________ the noise.

3) I’ll never ______________ wearing contact lenses. To be honest, I prefer glasses.

4) We ______________ live in a small flat, but we’ve recently moved to a house.

5) I ______________ see best friend every day, but now I’m too busy.

6) You’ll have to ______________ drinking tea if you go and live in the UK.

Show answers

1) used to   2) get used to   3) get used to   4) used to

5) used to   6) get used to

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