{"id":2521,"date":"2020-06-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-16T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/local.events.com\/use-to-or-used-to-a-definitive-guide-on-usage\/"},"modified":"2021-04-07T16:53:31","modified_gmt":"2021-04-07T23:53:31","slug":"use-to-or-used-to-a-definitive-guide-on-usage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/english-speaking\/use-to-or-used-to-a-definitive-guide-on-usage\/","title":{"rendered":"Use to or Used to: A Definitive Guide on Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Do you have trouble correctly using \u2018use to\u2019<\/em> or<\/em> \u2018used to\u2019<\/em> in speech or writing? That\u2019s okay! I\u2019m a native speaker and mess up on this grammar concept every now and then. So don\u2019t feel bad if you mix this one up, it\u2019s a common mistake.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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In this article, we will break down the usage of both phrases and provide examples for context.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo\u201d as an Infinitive<\/h2>\n

Used to<\/em><\/strong> and use to<\/em><\/strong> both have idiomatic meanings that we\u2019ll cover in later sections.<\/p>\n

First, let\u2019s look at the proper use of to<\/em><\/strong> as an infinitive in a sentence. In this instance, used to<\/em><\/strong> or use to<\/em><\/strong> are a part of a larger verb phrase and to<\/em><\/strong> is the infinitive of the second verb. Look at the examples below:<\/p>\n