“Used to + verb” describes a past habit or state that is no longer true. “Be used to + noun/-ing” means be accustomed to something.
ReviewedEvidence1 sourceSectionEnglish Usage
Quick answer
Use “used to + base verb” for a former habit or state. Use “be used to + noun/-ing” for something that is familiar or customary to someone.
Key details
Confusion Familygrammar-and-usage distinction
Rule Familymeaning and construction
Termsused to, be used to
Further guidance
Accustomed Pattern
Be used to is adjectival in meaning and is followed by a noun, pronoun, or -ing form.
Past Pattern
Used to + base verb refers to past habits or states that no longer hold.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
Used to↗ (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Used to for past habits/states no longer true, plus be used to and get used to for being/becoming accustomed
“Despite” and “in spite of” have the same concessive role and are followed by a noun phrase or -ing form rather than a finite clause introduced directly after them.
“Forget + -ing” concerns whether an earlier event remains in memory. “Forget + to-infinitive” means the intended action was not remembered and therefore may not have been done.
“Hear” normally presents sound perception as an event or natural process; “listen” presents deliberate attention. Before an object, “listen” normally takes “to.”
With noun phrases, “do” often focuses on carrying out an activity or task, while “make” often focuses on creating or producing an outcome. Many combinations are fixed collocations and must be learned as such.
