0
Andrei Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Used to something
1)I used to play football.
The above means the person played in the past, not any longer.
2)I used to eat hot food.
By saying the second sentence what I am telling you is even now I eat hot food.
So the first sentence evinces a past event whereas the second sentence evinces a past and present event.
This is strange. What do you think?
If, even today, you are in the practice of eating hot food, you would use the second sentence, wouldn't you? Of course, you could say either I can eat hot food or I eat hot food. Here I am interested in the use of the word 'used' in similar context.
The above means the person played in the past, not any longer.
2)I used to eat hot food.
By saying the second sentence what I am telling you is even now I eat hot food.
So the first sentence evinces a past event whereas the second sentence evinces a past and present event.
This is strange. What do you think?
If, even today, you are in the practice of eating hot food, you would use the second sentence, wouldn't you? Of course, you could say either I can eat hot food or I eat hot food. Here I am interested in the use of the word 'used' in similar context.
Top answer
I would take sentence (2) to mean you ate hot food in the past but no longer do so. What is it about the 2nd sentence that leads you to infer a present event?
- I would take sentence (2) to mean you ate hot food in the past but no longer do so.
- What is it about the 2nd sentence that leads you to infer a present event?
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
I would take sentence (2) to mean you ate hot food in the past but no longer do so.
What is it about the 2nd sentence that leads you to infer a present event?
What is it about the 2nd sentence that leads you to infer a present event?
00
PoorRichard
That is my question too. So it would be incorrect to say I used to eat hot food tell the others that you even today eat hot food.
I know it would be 100% correct to say 'I am used to eating hot food'. This means, I believe, It was a habit for me to eat hot food in the past and even today it is very common to me to eat hot food.
That is my question too. So it would be incorrect to say I used to eat hot food tell the others that you even today eat hot food.
I know it would be 100% correct to say 'I am used to eating hot food'. This means, I believe, It was a habit for me to eat hot food in the past and even today it is very common to me to eat hot food.
00
'I used to' It is still a past event, if you used to eat hot food, it mean you do not any more, the same as your football example,
I used to eat hot food...but I burnt my mouth on some soup and that put me off.
I used to eat hot food...but now my cooker is broken.
I used to eat hot food...now I only eat ice cream.
In the present you do need to say: I eat ho
I used to eat hot food...but I burnt my mouth on some soup and that put me off.
I used to eat hot food...but now my cooker is broken.
I used to eat hot food...now I only eat ice cream.
In the present you do need to say: I eat ho
00
Nona, thanks for the reply.
It is obvious that you can't say 'I am used to eat hot food'. I made a stupid mistake.
It is obvious that you can't say 'I am used to eat hot food'. I made a stupid mistake.
00
Andrei, in your previous post you said:
"I know it would be 100% correct to say 'I am used to eating hot food'."
You were 100% correct to say this. The context you gave was also correct.
"I know it would be 100% correct to say 'I am used to eating hot food'."
You were 100% correct to say this. The context you gave was also correct.
0
Related Questions