Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

Used to, be used to and expressions of typicality

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Used to

and be used to are different. 

Used to

refers to habits and states which happened or were true in the past but are no

longer the case. Used to only has one form, and cannot refer to the present or future:

I 

used to swim every morning before work.

(refers to a past habit which is no longer the case)

Be used to 

refers to how familiar something is for someone; it can occur in different

tense forms. Be used to is followed by a noun phrase or a verb in the -ing form or a

clausal complement:

She

’s not used to the new system yet.

(she’s not familiar with it)

[said by someone driving a big car for the first time]

I

’m not used to driving such a big car.

(I am not familiar with driving such a big car./I do not have experience of driving

such a big car.)

(I’m not used to drive such a big car.)

I 

was used to getting all my meals cooked for me.

(getting my meals cooked for me was a familiar/normal experience)

(compare: ‘I used to get all my meals cooked for me’, which would simply mean that

this was true in the past but is not true any more)

I

’m not really used to how they do it in America.

662 | Modality

Cambridge Grammar of English

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To express habits or things which are normal and typical, in the present, past or future, the

simple forms of the present or past tense are used, or adverbs such as usually, normally,

typically

. Such meanings are not expressed by the verb use in the present tense.

I 

usually have tea and toast for breakfast.

(I use to have tea and toast for breakfast.)

He 

normally comes round at about half past one.

(‘He used to come round at about half past one’ would mean that is what happened in

the past)

I 

swam three or four times a week when I was working in Bristol.

(or: I usually/normally swam three or four times a week.)

(‘I used to swim three or four times a week’ would emphasise that I no longer do it)