Used to, be used and get used to
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Hello and welcome to 6 Minute Grammar with me, Catherine. And me, Callum. Hello. In this programme, we're looking at the phrase used to for talking about the past. And we're also looking at the phrases be used to and get used to. That's right. Now, used to and be used to sound very similar, but the meaning and forms are different –

So, we'll explain the differences and give you lots of examples. And we'll have a quiz to see how much you've learnt. So, let's get started. Now, used to is always followed by the infinitive of the verb.

It tells us that an action happened regularly in the past but it doesn't happen now. Here's Rob with an example. I used to eat meat but now I'm a vegetarian. And used to can also describe a past situation which is no longer true. Rob. I used to be a bit overweight but I'm much slimmer now. That's straightforward. So what about be used to or get used to?

Well, if you are used to something, it means that it isn't unusual or difficult for you because you have experienced it before. Rob? When I first became a vegetarian, I missed eating meat, but now I'm used to it. So Rob's familiar and comfortable with not eating meat now. He could also say… I got used to it after a few weeks. Yes, got is like became. He became familiar with it.

Now, in those examples, 'be used to' and 'get used to' are followed by the pronoun 'it'. But we can also use the -ing form of a verb in the same position. Listen: I'm not used to eating food without salt. I find it really tasteless. Rob's not familiar with food without salt. I know how he feels. But doctors are advising us all to get used to eating less salt.

I can't get used to eating no salt on my chips. No, that's just wrong. It's horrible. It is. It's wrong. It's wrong. So there's used to with the infinitive and be or get used to with the ing verb.

Another difference is that used to is only for the past. There's no present or future form of used to. But we can use be or get used to in the present, past or future. Rob? In the past, British people weren't used to eating pasta and pizza. That's true. Pasta and pizza were new to Britain, but we all love them now, don't we? Yes, I think we got used to them pretty quickly, even if we can't have salt on them. LAUGHTER

And we're looking at the phrases used to and be or get used to. And there's another difference between them. Yes, with used to we form questions, short answers and negatives with did and didn't. And in questions and negatives we lose the d on the end of used.

You can't hear this because we don't pronounce the D unused anyway, but it's important in writing. Here's an example. Catherine, did you used to have rice and curry when you were a child? No, I didn't, Callum. In fact, we didn't used to have foreign food at all in our house. Neither did we. I think the most foreign food we had was a Cornish pasty. Very British. Mm.

But with be used to and get used to, we form questions, short answers and negatives with the verb be and we keep the d on the end of used. Catherine, are you used to buying international food now? Yes, I am most definitely. There's all sorts of foreign food here in London and I've tried most of it. Just a couple more points. There are two alternative negative forms for used to –

Instead of I didn't used to, we sometimes say I never used to or I used not to. Listen. I never used to eat many vegetables. I used not to eat many vegetables. Just remember that used not to sounds very formal and is mainly used in writing nowadays. Now, Catherine, are there any types of foreign food that you aren't used to? Well, I tried Japanese food a few times but I can't get used to it.

And there is the modal auxiliary can't with get used to. It's a very useful piece of language. We can use it in the past as well. Rob? I couldn't get used to living in the countryside, so I moved back to the city. And now it's quiz time. Number one. Is this sentence correct or wrong? I've been in this job for three months, so I used to it now.

I've been in this job for three months, so I used to it now. That's not correct. It's I'm used to it with the verb be. Number two. Did you use to living in London when you were a child? Did you use to living in London when you were a child?

And that's wrong. The correct sentence is, did you used to live in London? And number three. I don't really like Japanese food, but I hope I'll be used to it. I don't really like Japanese food, but I hope I'll be used to it.

And that's not correct. It should be, I'll get used to it. It should. And well done to you at home if you got those right. And there's more about this on our website at bbclearningenglish.com. Do join us again for more 6 Minute Grammar. Goodbye. Bye. Ever started a new job and had no idea what people were talking about?

You're not alone. It was probably all business jargon. In our new series, we talk about the strange words and phrases people use at work that not everyone understands. Search for Learning English for Work in your podcast app or head to our website, bbclearningenglish.com.