{"id":4048,"date":"2020-12-11T13:54:45","date_gmt":"2020-12-11T21:54:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/english-speaking\/?p=4048"},"modified":"2021-04-07T16:53:31","modified_gmt":"2021-04-07T23:53:31","slug":"use-to-or-used-to","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/english-speaking\/use-to-or-used-to\/","title":{"rendered":"Use To or Used To: Which Is Correct?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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If you\u2019ve ever had a conversation with a native English speaker, you\u2019ve probably heard some variation of <\/span>use to or used to<\/i><\/b>. So, which did you actually hear? Did the person say <\/span>used to<\/span><\/i> or <\/span>use to<\/span><\/i>? More importantly, which one is correct? In today\u2019s guide, we will examine the grammar rules for both, but first, we will explain why these common terms are so often confused. So, let\u2019s get started!<\/span><\/p>\n

Why do use to<\/i> and used to<\/i> get confused?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As you can see, <\/span>use to<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>used to<\/span><\/i> look very similar in writing. There\u2019s only a difference of one letter. The similarities are even worse when speaking English. Why? Because English speakers (particularly Americans) often pronounce both terms the same \u2014 or nearly the same.<\/span><\/p>\n

Use to sounds exactly as it looks, like \u201cyou(z) to.\u201d As a result, <\/span>use to<\/span><\/i> is pretty easy to use once you know how and when it applies. However, <\/span>used to<\/span><\/i> makes things more complicated.<\/span><\/p>\n

Based on English pronunciation rules<\/a>, <\/span>used to<\/span><\/i> should be pronounced as two distinct words. It should sound something like \u201cyou(st) to.\u201d As you can see, there\u2019s a notable difference in the way use and used are pronounced. The former has more of a \u201cz\u201d sound, while the latter has an \u201cst\u201d sound. Unfortunately, these are just how each term <\/span>should<\/span><\/i> be pronounced, not how they\u2019re actually pronounced in everyday conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve ever spoken with a native English speaker from the United States, you probably know that Americans have a tendency to speak quickly, allowing separate words to sound like they are mashed together. This doesn\u2019t always present a problem, but in the case of <\/span>use to<\/span><\/i> or <\/span>used to<\/span><\/i>, it\u2019s a pretty big issue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why? Because if you don\u2019t separate the sounds of the words in <\/span>used to<\/span><\/i>, it sounds very similar to <\/span>use to<\/span><\/i>. As a result, many non-native speakers struggle to distinguish between the two in conversation. Now that we\u2019ve looked at the issue of phonetics, let\u2019s look at each term\u2019s definition(s) to understand how they should be used.<\/span><\/p>\n

Definitions: Use to vs. Used to<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Despite looking and sounding very similar, <\/span>use to<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>used to<\/span><\/i> can mean very different things. First, let\u2019s look at the definition of <\/span>use to<\/span><\/i>:<\/span><\/p>\n

Verb phrase – Use to – To take, hold, or establish something for a specific purpose.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Basically, <\/span>use to<\/span><\/i> is just one way to express the action of using something. However, there are some instances where <\/span>use to<\/span><\/i> can take the place of <\/span>used to<\/span><\/i> as an adjective phrase. We will talk about that a little later on.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alternatively, <\/span>used to<\/span><\/i> can function in three distinct ways. Here are all the possible definitions of <\/span>used to<\/span><\/i>:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Verb phrase – Used to – To take, hold, or establish something for a specific purpose (in the past tense).<\/i><\/b><\/li>\n
  2. Verb phrase – Used to – To show that a situation or event existed or happened in the past, but does not exist or happen now.<\/i><\/b><\/li>\n
  3. Adjective phrase – Used to – Accustomed to; to express familiarity with something.\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Needless to say, <\/span>used to<\/span><\/i> is a more complex term. It can function in multiple ways and can even be limited to certain tenses. As an adjective phrase, <\/span>used to<\/span><\/i> can be put in just about any tense. However, as a verb phrase, <\/span>used to<\/span><\/i> is limited to tenses in the past.<\/span><\/p>\n

    So, now that you know what both of these terms mean, let\u2019s see when you should say <\/span>use to<\/span><\/i> or <\/span>used to<\/span><\/i>!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    As previously mentioned, <\/span>use to<\/span><\/i> is the simpler of the two terms. There are only so many ways you can use it. In any case, here are a few common examples:<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n