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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.

Search results for 'used to':

used to auxiliary verb used with other verbs to express habitual actions or states that took place in the past • They used to be friends, but they aren't any moreHe didn't use to be as grumpy as he is now. See note.

used to

There is often uncertainty about the correct negative form of used to. The following are all acceptable (note that when an auxiliary verb is used, it is did, not had):

He used not to do it.

He usedn't to do it.

He didn't use to do it.

The following are usually considered incorrect:

He usen't to do it.

He didn't used to do it.

used to auxiliary verb used with other verbs to express habitual actions or states that took place in the past • They used to be friends, but they aren't any moreHe didn't use to be as grumpy as he is now. See note.

used to

There is often uncertainty about the correct negative form of used to. The following are all acceptable (note that when an auxiliary verb is used, it is did, not had):

He used not to do it.

He usedn't to do it.

He didn't use to do it.

The following are usually considered incorrect:

He usen't to do it.

He didn't used to do it.

used to auxiliary verb used with other verbs to express habitual actions or states that took place in the past • They used to be friends, but they aren't any moreHe didn't use to be as grumpy as he is now. See note.

used to

There is often uncertainty about the correct negative form of used to. The following are all acceptable (note that when an auxiliary verb is used, it is did, not had):

He used not to do it.

He usedn't to do it.

He didn't use to do it.

The following are usually considered incorrect:

He usen't to do it.

He didn't used to do it.