Hello and welcome to six minute grammar with May Kneel and make Catherine Hello in this programme, we're talking about things we used to do in other words, things we did regularly in the past.

Yes, well, look att, the phrase used to in positive and negative sentences.

Handing questions.

We'll bring you some spelling and pronunciation tips and we'll finish, of course, with a quiz.

So let's start with some example Sentences from Rob.

Hello, Rob.

Hello.

Listen carefully and answer this question.

What activities did these people do regularly in the past, Petra used to eat junk food, but now she eats salads and vegetables.

I used to play computer games, but now I read a lot.

So Petra used to eat junk food and Rob used to play computer games.

The words used to in front of an infinitive like used to eat or used to play, tell us that someone did an activity regularly or several times in the past.

Now, pronunciation wise, we say, used to with a short you sound used to not along you like in Can I use your phone?

Please?

It's not use its use.

Here they are together.

I used to use a desktop computer, but now I've got a tablet.

Thanks, Rob.

And we can see from that example that we often use used to with a verb when the present situation is different to the past.

So in the past, Rob had a desktop, but now he's got a tablet now used to with an infinitive means the activity happened regularly or repeatedly in the past.

It can also describe a past state or situation.

For example, I used to live in Japan, but now I live in London.

But to say you did something just once in the past used the past.

Simple.

Yeah, so this sentence I used to go to the gym on Saturdays means I went to the gym on many Saturdays in the past, But the sentence I went to the gym last Saturday describes one event in the past.

It's the past simple to talk about.

What happens now Use a present tense.

I used to go running every day, but now I go running once a week listening to BBC Learning English on we're talking about used to let's take a look at negatives.

Rob.

My sisters didn't used to talk to each other much, but now they speak every day.

Ezra didn't usedto have short hair, but she had a haircut last week.

Thanks, Rob and the phrase didn't used to hopes has talk about past states and activities that didn't happen in the bust.

But they do know.

And for all persons, it's subject.

Plus didn't plus used to, plus an infinitive.

My sisters didn't used to talk.

Esra didn't usedto have short hair.

And there's a spelling note here is Nanny.

Oh, yes, there is in positive sentences.

Yuste is spelt u S e d.

But in negative sentences and questions, it's just use U S.

E without the d a.

The end.

But when we're speaking, they sound almost exactly the same.

Listen to this.

I didn't used to get up early at the weekend.

I used to stay in bed all morning.

Thanks, Rob.

Now let's take a look at questions.

Neal, which school did you used to go to?

I used to go to the local school.

Okay, so for questions like which school did you used to go to its dead plus subject?

Close used to plus infinitive, and it's the same for yes, no questions.

Neil.

Did you used to walk to school?

No, I didn't.

I used to get the bus.

So for questions did subject used to and infinitive and remember used to spelt U S E no.

D?

Okay, it's time now for a quiz.

Question one.

How do you spell used in this sentence?

I didn't used to have a tablet.

It's U S.

A.

Without day because it's a negative.

That's right.

Number two.

What is the missing word?

I to use social media every day, but now I only use it once a week, and the answer is used with a D.

I used to use social media every day is the correct answer on number three.

Is this sentence right or wrong?

I used to go to the gym last Friday, and that's wrong because it's a past event that happened only once.

You can say I went to the gym last Friday, or you can say I used to go to the gym every Friday, and that's the end of the quiz and the end of the show.

But there's more about used to at BBC Learning english dot com Join us again for more six minute grammar bye bye six minutes from BBC learning english dot com.