used to be

Correct on both counts! It is OK, and it is odd. (With "did" it's "use", however, not "used", although the pronunciation comes out the same in either case.)

How did the town use to be?
The town used to be livlier between the hours of 10 and midnight.
Did it use to be bigger?
Yes. It used to be bigger. A lot of people have moved elsewhere.

The sens

LcwangIs it correct to say: How did the town used to be?

It's odd to me. But somebody claimed it is OK.

It's good, but I would never use it as a conversation opener (what is called "first turn" in Discourse Analysis).

I imagine it happening as a second turn:

A: I don't recognise this town anym

Milky

Lcwang
Is it correct to say: How did the town used to be?

It's odd to me. But somebody claimed it is OK.

It's good, but I would never use it as a conversation opener (what is called "first turn" in Discourse Analysis).

I imagine it happening as a second turn:

Milky

Lcwang
Is it correct to say: How did the town used to be?

It's odd to me. But somebody claimed it is OK.

It's good, but I would never use it as a conversation opener (what is called "first turn" in Discourse Analysis).

I imagine it happening as a second turn:

EthanwIn the above dialog, why B uses 'used' when there is a 'did' there? Is it but a typing error?

It is but a tirederror.