Used to, would

Used To

To be used to

We use this structure to talk about familiar things.

Form:

to be + used to + noun ( I am used to the noise from the street below)

to be + used to + verb + -ing ( I am used to having a cup of coffee in the morning)

Examples:

You are used to living in a busy city centre so you don’t have a problem falling asleep at night at weekends.

He is used to the life in the country where the life is not so hectic.

She is used to the cold weather in winter as she comes from Sweden.

We are used to busy social life as we have many friends in town.

They are used to driving to work every day but the high price of petrol might make them change their habits.

Negative sentences:

I am not use to being told what to do by my boss so I think I’ll look for a new job soon.

You are not used to living in the city centre and that’s why you find it difficult to fall asleep at night with all the traffic in the streets.

He is not used to working without supervision therefore someone should check on him from time to time.

She is not used to all the hustle and bustle of a busy shop on the High street. It will take some time for her to adjust to that environment.

We are not used to the slow and stress-free life in a village but it’s going to be nice to try it for a change.

They are not used to travelling to work by public transport but they have no choice for their car was stolen last week.

Questions:

Are you used to drinking tea or coffee in the morning?

Is he used to the quiet life in the country?

Is she used to living alone after moving out from her parents‘ house?

Are we used to the life in London after moving there last month?

Are they used to having a busy social life?

To get used to

We use ‚get used to‘ to say that something new becomes familiar over time.

Examples:

I started working night shifts and it took me some time to get used to it.

You will get used to living above a busy street soon.

He got used to being a boss very quickly.

She got used to her new flatmate after a few weeks.

We will never get used to living in the country, I’m afraid.

New accounting software has been introduced in the office and the people are slowly getting used to the new system.

Over time, people will get used to any novelty.

You can’t go out for a smoke any time you want! Get used to it.

Negative:

I can’t get used to my mother being around every weekend since she moved to a flat across the street.

You couldn’t get used to travelling to work by bus but eventually you did because you had no choice.

He can’t get used to wearing dental braces.

She didn’t get used to her new boss so she left.

We can’t get used to being woken up by our baby son four times a night.

They couldn’t get used to the life in a city so they moved back to the country.

Questions:

I have to get up very early to catch a train to college. Will I ever get used to it?

Can you get used to sharing a house with other people?

Did he get used to the new system quickly?

Her husband works evening shifts in a factory. Can she get used to it?

Will we get used to my mother visiting us every other day?

Can people get used to an oppressive regime?

Used to, would

We can replace ‚used to‘ with ‚would‘ when talking about past routines.Very often there are more actions than one.

Examples:

When I was a child, I used to/would spend my summer break at my grandparents‘. I used to/would get up late and used to/would meet with my fiends and we used to/would spend our days playing outside or swimming in a lake.

She used to run a shop on the High Street where she used to/would greet her customers with a radiant smile and people used to/would call in just to say hello to her.

© www.swotting.eu