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Difference between 'used to + infinitive' and 'used to + gerund'



 
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Difference between 'used to + infinitive' and 'used to + gerund' #1 (permalink) Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:47 am   Difference between 'used to + infinitive' and 'used to + gerund'
 

Hi,
I want to know if there is a difference between "used to+ infinitive " and" used to + gerund.
Manal
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Difference between 'used to + infinitive' and 'used to + gerund' #2 (permalink) Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:55 am   Difference between 'used to + infinitive' and 'used to + gerund'
 

Hi Manal,

'Used to'+ infinitive refers to a past and repeated activity as in:

When I was young, I used to run 5 miles every day but now I just walk.

' Be used to'+ gerund really means that you are /were accustomed to doing something because you have done/did it before many times as in: Now that I live in London, I am used to driving in slow moving traffic because there are so many cars on the road. This is quite different from driving in the country, which I used to do every day.

Alan
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Difference between "used to+ infinitive " and" used to + gerun #3 (permalink) Tue Apr 01, 2008 12:03 pm   Difference between "used to+ infinitive " and" used to + gerun
 

manal wrote:
Hi,
I want to know if there is a difference between "used to+ infinitive " and" used to + gerund.


As Alan said, and only to add that "used to + inf", as well as referring to an activity that no longer occurs at the moment of speaking, can also refer to an activity which ceased for a time, but the continues at the moment of speaking.

e.g.

I used to smoke. I gave up years ago.
I used to smoke when I was 16, and now at 45 I've taken it up again.


One note, "used to + gerund" is normally known as "be used to" in the world of English teaching.
Molly
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Difference between 'used to + infinitive' and 'used to + gerund' #4 (permalink) Tue Apr 01, 2008 12:08 pm   Difference between 'used to + infinitive' and 'used to + gerund'
 

Hi,

Quote:
One note, "used to + gerund" is normally known as "be used to" in the world of English teaching.


I did actually mention that!

Alan
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Difference between 'used to + infinitive' and 'used to + gerund' #5 (permalink) Wed Apr 02, 2008 14:11 pm   Difference between 'used to + infinitive' and 'used to + gerund'
 

Alan wrote:
Hi,

Quote:
One note, "used to + gerund" is normally known as "be used to" in the world of English teaching.

I did actually mention that!

Alan

?? You mentioned that "be used to" is normally known as that in the ESL world, did you? I must've missed it.
Molly
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