0
Siernan Posted 15 years ago
Vocabulary
'Used to' - in questions and negatives
Hello
I am looking at the Cambridge Grammar of English as a reference.- Carter McCarthy
For 'used to' in affermatives - 'She used to do ballet'
For negatives - didn't use to : or didn't used to - This I understand as 'use' is now the second verb and so does not have the past tense 'd'. Although I don't understand why the alternative with 'd' is also given and the examples in the book use 'used to'. My teacher tells me it is 'use to' here.
However for questions the Cambridge has only 'used to' although my teacher gives me exapmples with 'use to' as again it is the second verb.
Did you use to go to school by bus? - for example
Can someone please explain this to me please? - Do I need a new grammar book or a new teacher? or are they both in some way right?
Thank you
I am looking at the Cambridge Grammar of English as a reference.- Carter McCarthy
For 'used to' in affermatives - 'She used to do ballet'
For negatives - didn't use to : or didn't used to - This I understand as 'use' is now the second verb and so does not have the past tense 'd'. Although I don't understand why the alternative with 'd' is also given and the examples in the book use 'used to'. My teacher tells me it is 'use to' here.
However for questions the Cambridge has only 'used to' although my teacher gives me exapmples with 'use to' as again it is the second verb.
Did you use to go to school by bus? - for example
Can someone please explain this to me please? - Do I need a new grammar book or a new teacher? or are they both in some way right?
Thank you
Top answer
The conflict of opinions is due to the fact that some speakers see 'use' as an auxiliary verb and others see it as a lexical verb. ' and 'It usen't to be allowed'. If you dislike those, as I do, then stick to the lexical verb choice.
- The conflict of opinions is due to the fact that some speakers see 'use' as an auxiliary verb and others see it as a lexical verb.
- ' and 'It usen't to be allowed'.
- If you dislike those, as I do, then stick to the lexical verb choice.
- 'Use' is highly defective: it has no present tense, no gerund or present participle and no past participle.
- 'Used' is a past tense form.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
5 Answers
0
The conflict of opinions is due to the fact that some speakers see 'use' as an auxiliary verb and others see it as a lexical verb. It all depends on whether you can say 'Used you to live near there?' and 'It usen't to be allowed'. If you dislike those, as I do, then stick to the lexical verb choice. 'Use' is highly defective: it has no present tense, no gerund or present participle and no past pa
00
SiernanI don't understand why the alternative with 'd' is also givenThat alternative is given because so many people use it that way. It is a description of what people use, not a guide (or prescription) for what you should use.
In other words, you may think of the alternative with 'd' as "wrong" if you wish, but it has been used that way so often b
00
Thank you BillJ and CalifJim
Thanks also for the note about auxiliary vebs.
I understand that 'use to' in questions and negatives is good and so is 'used to' now because people use it so often. It is good to be studying a language that is so alive and moves so much. It is also difficult to get hold of.
Thanks also for the note about auxiliary vebs.
I understand that 'use to' in questions and negatives is good and so is 'used to' now because people use it so often. It is good to be studying a language that is so alive and moves so much. It is also difficult to get hold of.
00
0
Related Questions