Used to & Be used to

Diana doesn't travel much these days. She prefers to stay at home. But she used to travel a lot. She used to go away two or three times a year.

She used to travel a lot = She traveled a lot in the past, but she doesn't travel much now.

Used to do something

1. Something used to happen = It happened regularly in the past, but no longer happens (Đã từng làm gì đó (hoặc hành động hoặc sự kiện xảy ra) trong quá khứ và bây giờ không còn nữa, nó đã kết thúc)

• I used to play badminton a lot, but I don't play very often now (Trước kia tôi chơi cầu lông nhiều, nhưng bây giờ tôi chơi không thường xuyên)
• David used to spend a lot of money on clothes. These days he can't afford it.

Lưu ý:

• Ta vẫn có thể dùng would thay cho used to trong trường hợp này. Ví dụ: When I was young, I used to play with my dolls (búp bê) = When I was young, I would play with my dolls.
• Trường hợp mô tả thói quen (habits) hoặc tình trạng (states) trong quá khứ thì chúng ta chỉ có thể dùng used to mà không thể dùng would.
  Ví dụ:
  I used to smoke a lot.
  I used to be a good teacher.
  I used to live in Bordeaux.

2. It can be used to do something = Cái đó có thể được sử dụng để làm... Đây là cách dùng phổ biến trong văn phong khoa học.
The 'su' command can be used to quickly switch to root user in Linux.

Used to something

This phrase can be used as an adjective and we use it to talk about things that have become familiar, and are no longer strange or new. Used to usually comes after verbs such as be, get or become.

• After a while you get used to the noise (Chốc lát bạn sẽ quen với tiếng ồn)
• She will become used to the smell (Cô ta sẽ quen với cái mùi ấy)
• I was used to the web site (Tôi đã quen với web site)

Lưu ý:

• We can also say that someone is used to doing something.
  I'll never get used to getting up at six o'clock in the morning.
  It took me a while until I was used to driving on the right-hand side of the road.

To be/get used to something

To be/get used to doing something

Bài tập

1. She has a newborn baby so (she's used to/she used to) sleepless nights and the sound of crying.
2. He (is used to/used to) play in a rock band when he was young.
3. Didn't you (be used to/use to) live in Hawaii?
4. I (am used to/used to) using email and sending text messages but my grandparents are clueless when it comes to that stuff.
5. I (am used to/used to) take the bus to school but I moved closer so now I walk.