USE TO

Question

Is this sentence correct?They use to play cricket.

Yankee · Accepted Answer

They used to play cricket. (i.e. They played cricket regularly in the past, but not anymore.)

Bird Of Paradise · Answer

thanks yankee, but how to change it into passive voice..

Yankee · Answer

This is the passive form:
Cricket used to be played.

Zeppe · Answer

"Cricket used to be played by them"?
It sounds weird, but not weirder than "cricket is played by them", to me

Yankee · Answer

I agree, Zeppe. I left out the 'by them' on principle.

It's definitelynot the sort of sentence that would normally be passive -- especially if 'they' is important enough to keep in the sentence.

Goodman · Answer

No, no one should ever say "Cricket used to be played by them". But we can say "Cricket used to be played in my school", The “ subject ” construction is often used to described something one did it the past and it’s always expressed in “past tense”.

For example:

I used to live in some 10 years ago. This means you are no longer living in Calif. This is not a passive compatible sentence and no one should ever attempt to do so.

I used to love chocolate but I had to control my diet, so I have had to restrain my craving for almost a year.

One footnote: The “used to” construction is different than “I was used as a scapegoat for John’s mistakes” construct. In this structure, it’s a passive voice describing me being made a scapegoat by John. Please do not be confused.

Bird Of Paradise · Answer

Thanks Goodman,
you are really a meticulous don. You solved my query.

Goodman · Answer

Glad to be of help! <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

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