Utilisation de "used to" et "be used to"
I. “USED TO” + base verbale
A. Structure
Affirmative : Subject + used to + base verb
Négative : Subject + didn’t use to + base verb
Interrogative : Did + subject + use to + base verb
B. Emploi
"Used to" exprime :
1. Une habitude passée révolue
2. Un état passé qui a changé aujourd’hui
Important : Il n’existe pas de forme "used to" au présent.
C. Exemples
I used to walk to school. → J'avais l'habitude d’aller à pied à l’école.
He used to be very shy. → Il était très timide. (Ce n’est plus le cas.)
We didn’t use to eat out so often. (Nous n' avions pas l' habitude de manger souvent dehors)
Did you use to play football? (Étais-tu habitué à jouer au football)?
D. Cas d’usage typiques
Changements de vie : "I used to live in Paris, now I live in Berlin."
Comparaisons passé/présent : "We used to be close, but now we rarely talk."
E. Erreurs fréquentes
Dire "I use to" au lieu de "I used to" → Faux
Mettre "used to" au présent → Faux
Dire "I didn’t used to" → Faux → Correct : "I didn’t use to"
II. “BE USED TO” + nom / verbe en -ING
A. Structure
Affirmative : Subject + be (am/is/are/was/were) + used to + noun/V-ing
Négative : Subject + be + not used to + noun/V-ing
Interrogative : Be + subject + used to + noun/V-ing?
B. Emploi
"Be used to" signifie être habitué à quelque chose. Il ne s’agit pas d’un fait révolu, mais d’un état d’adaptation ou de familiarité.
C. Exemples
She is used to the noise. → Elle est habituée au bruit.
I was not used to speaking in public. → Je n’étais pas habitué à parler en public.
Are you used to working late?
They will be used to the climate soon.
D. Temps utilisables
Contrairement à "used to", "be used to" peut s’utiliser à tous les temps : présent, passé, futur...
Exemples :
Présent : I am used to driving in traffic.
Passé : We were used to cold winters.
Futur : You will be used to your new schedule soon.
E. Erreurs fréquentes
Confondre "used to" et "be used to" :
Faux : I used to waking up early.
Correct : I am used to waking up early.
Oublier que "to" est une préposition ici → suivi d’un nom ou d’un verbe en -ING
III- Astuce pour retenir la différence
"Used to" = une habitude du passé
"Be used to" = je suis habitué à quelque chose (présent ou passé)
Astuce mnémotechnique :
"Used to" = Totalement dans le passé
"Be used to" = je suis habitué → il y a être (be) → action encore vraie
Avez-vous bien lu ce cours ? Répondez aux questions suivantes :
1. Which sentence is correct?
A. I am used to eat late.
B. I used to eating late.
C. I am used to eating late.
D. I used to eating.
2. “She ______ to go swimming every Saturday when she was a child.”
A. is used
B. used
C. used to
D. was used
3. I ___________ walk to school, but now I take the bus.
A. am used to
B. used to
C. use to
D. was used to
4. He is not used to _______ spicy food.
A. eat
B. ate
C. eating
D. to eat
5. Which sentence expresses a past habit?
A. I am used to getting up early.
B. I used to get up early.
C. I am getting used to get up early.
D. I use to get up early.
6. “Did you ______ to live in this neighborhood?”
A. used
B. used to
C. use
D. use to
7. My grandfather _______ smoke a pipe.
A. used to
B. is used to
C. was used to
D. has used to
8. Which sentence is grammatically incorrect?
A. They didn’t use to play soccer.
B. She is used to working hard.
C. I used to play the piano.
D. I didn’t used to like jazz.
9. We’re not used to ______ so early.
A. wake
B. waking
C. to wake
D. wake up
10. “Be used to” can be used in:
A. Present only
B. Past only
C. Future only
D. All tenses
11. He’s getting used to ______ in a noisy environment.
A. work
B. worked
C. working
D. to working
12. Which one describes an old routine that no longer happens?
A. I used to eat meat.
B. I’m used to eating meat.
C. I’m eating meat.
D. I was used to eat meat.
13. Choose the correct negative form of “used to”:
A. I didn’t used to go there.
B. I didn’t use to go there.
C. I don’t used to go there.
D. I haven’t used to go there.
14. Which sentence is correct?
A. She is used to drive long distances.
B. She used to driving long distances.
C. She is used to driving long distances.
D. She is use to drive long distances.
15. I can’t believe he lives in New York now. He ______ live in a small village.
A. is used to
B. used to
C. use to
D. has used to
16. Which sentence means: “He has adapted to the cold”?
A. He used to the cold.
B. He used to be cold.
C. He is used to the cold.
D. He used to feel cold.
17. They weren’t used to ______ in a foreign country.
A. live
B. living
C. to live
D. lived
18. “Used to” cannot be used in:
A. Present simple
B. Past simple
C. Negative form
D. Question form
19. She never ______ to eat vegetables, but now she loves them.
A. use
B. used
C. used to
D. was used
20. “I used to” and “I’m used to” differ because:
A. One is active, the other passive.
B. One is past habit, the other current adaptation.
C. They mean the same.
D. One is future, the other present.
Réponses aux questions :
1- C
2- C
3- B
4- C
5- B
6- D
7- A
8- D
9- B
10- D
11- C
12- A
13- B
14- C
15- B
16- C
17- B
18- A
19- C
20- B
