JOSE A. CARILLO

A TRICKY English usage that I’ve been repeatedly asked about over the years is the form “used to + verb,” which means a past condition or habitual practice, as in the sentences, “She used to be my trusted associate” and “The couple used to swim in the community pool.” In the first sentence, “used to” conveys the idea of a condition that’s no longer true; in the second, “used to” conveys the idea of an old practice that’s no longer being done. In both cases, we’re not in any danger of tripping in our grammar because “used to” is clearly functioning as it should—as an auxiliary verb affirming the sense of a state of affairs or past action that no longer subsists.

Premium + Digital Edition

Ad-free access


P 80 per month
(billed annually at P 960)
  • Unlimited ad-free access to website articles
  • Limited offer: Subscribe today and get digital edition access for free (accessible with up to 3 devices)

TRY FREE FOR 14 DAYS
See details
See details