Learning to use English verbs correctly can be challenging, especially when it comes to structures like used to, be used to, and get used to. These phrases have distinct meanings and are commonly used in both written and spoken English. As a B2-level learner, it’s important to master their use to effectively communicate and express yourself in English, as well as improve your scores in your grammar exams. In this article, we will explore the differences between used to, be used to, and get used to and provide examples of their usage. We’ve also included a quiz at the end of the article to test your knowledge and reinforce your understanding of these structures.
Structure | Use | Followed by |
Used to | For past habits or states | infinitive |
Be used to | Refers to being familiar with, or accustomed to a situation. | gerund |
Get used to | Refers to the process of becoming familiar with, or accustomed to a situation | gerund |
Used to:
Meaning: It expresses past habits or states that were true in the past but are no longer true in the present.
Example: “I used to live in Valencia.” indicates that in the past, the person lived in Valencia, but now, they don’t.
“I used to be lazy.” It expresses the fact that this person was lazy in the past but not anymore.
Be used to:
Meaning: It describes the state of being familiar with something or being accustomed to a particular situation.
Example: “I am used to waking up early.” This person is accustomed to waking up early.
Get used to:
Meaning: It refers to the process of becoming accustomed to something that was previously unfamiliar or uncomfortable.
Example: “I had to get used to waking up early as I got a morning job.” This person was unfamiliar with waking up early in the morning but had to change this and become accustomed to waking up early because of their morning job.
You can find be used to and get used to in different tenses, the only part that changes is “be” and “get”, depending on the tense. For example:
I got used to speaking French after living in Paris for two years.
(Get here is used in the past tense.)
Have a look at the post which summarizes the grammar explanation and when you feel ready to check your knowledge, do the quiz!
