Used To - Common Errors Exercises

The "used to" family of structures produces some of the most persistent mistakes in English. The top error is mixing up the verb form: learners write "I am used to smoke" (wrong — should be "I am used to smoking") or "I used to smoking" (wrong — should be "I used to smoke"). The rule is clear: used to (past habit) takes a base verb; be/get used to (familiarity or adaptation) takes an -ing form. Another frequent mistake is "Did you used to...?" — the "d" must be dropped after "did": "Did you use to...?"

Using "would" with state verbs is another common trap: "I would be shy" is wrong because "be" is a state verb — say "I used to be shy" instead. Learners also confuse "I didn't use to" (past habit that didn't exist) with "I wasn't used to" (past discomfort). Finally, some learners create a present form — "I use to walk" — which does not exist in modern English. Recognising and correcting these errors is essential for B2 level accuracy and is regularly tested in Cambridge B2 First examinations.