A. Underline the correct option.
1 The Romans used to / didn’t use to have paper money.
2 George Bush used to / didn’t use to be president of America.
3 Thirty years ago, we used to / didn’t use to have mobile phones.
4 English used to / didn’t use to be an international language.
5 Robin Hood used to / didn’t use to help poor people.
6 Space travel used to / didn’t use to be impossible.
7 Children used to / didn’t use to go to school.
8 December used to / didn’t use to be the tenth month of the year.
9 There used to / didn’t use to be any hospitals.
10 France used to / didn’t use to have a king and queen.
Answers
2 used to 3 didn’t use to 4 didn’t use to
5 used to 6 used to 7 didn’t use to
8 used to 9 didn’t use to 10 used to
B. Joe used to be in prison but now he is a free man! Write about the changes in Joe’s life with used to and didn’t use to.
|
Now |
Then |
|
1 He gets up at 9.00 |
6.00 |
|
2 He is a mechanic. |
✗ mechanic |
|
3 He works in a garage |
the prison kitchen |
|
4 He likes his neighbours |
✗ his neighbours |
|
5 He writes emails |
letters |
|
6 He wears nice clothes |
a prison uniform |
|
7 He sees his friends. |
✗ see his friends |
|
8 He goes to bed late. |
early |
|
9 He feels happy. |
sad |
|
10 He is free. |
✗ free |
1 He used to get up at 6.00.
2 He didn’t use to be a mechanic.
3 …………………………………………….
4 …………………………………………….
5 …………………………………………….
6 …………………………………………….
7 …………………………………………….
8 …………………………………………….
9 …………………………………………….
10 …………………………………………….
Answers
3 He used to work in the prison kitchen.
4 He did not (didn’t) use(d) / used not to like his neighbours.
5 He used to write letters.
6 He used to wear a prison uniform.
7 He did not (didn’t) use(d) / used not to see his friends.
8 He used to go to bed early.
9 He used to feel sad.
10 He did not (didn’t) use(d) / used not to be free.
C. Change the past simple into would in this text, if possible.
I remember my childhood very well. Every summer, we went to the seaside. I was ten years old and I loved the sea. I played on the beach and my father bought me an ice cream. Sometimes we went on a boat. Some people swam around the boat, other fished, other watched. One trip my sister fell into the sea! Luckily, she was a good swimmer. That was very funny. In the evenings, we walked around the town. My mother told us stories about all the places and we listened very carefully. At night I fell asleep feeling very happy. A wonderful time!
Answers
I remember my childhood very well. Every summer, we went would go to the seaside. I was ten years old and I loved the sea. I played would play on the beach and my father bought would buy me an ice cream. Sometimes we went would go on a boat. Some people swam would swim around the boat, other fished would fish, other watched would watch. One trip my sister fell into the sea! Luckily, she was a good swimmer. That was very funny. In the evenings, we walked would walk around the town. My mother told would tell us stories about all the places and we listened would listen very carefully. At night I fell would fall asleep feeling very happy. A wonderful time!
D. Underline the correct option. Sometimes more than one option is possible.
1 My best friend use to have / would have a mountain bike.
2 That summer we used to spend / would spend all day on the beach.
3 Yesterday I would phone / phoned Jill.
4 When I lived in France I used to speak / spoke French very well.
5 On long car journeys we used to play / would play cards.
6 Sheila didn’t use to know / wouldn’t know Charles then.
7 Did it used to be / Would it be a rich country?
8 When we got to the airport, the strongest boys used to carry / would carry the bags.
9 Last April, they didn’t use to work / didn’t work for a week.
10 In those days, I never used to worry / would never worry about my future.
11 Maggie used to be / would be the best student in her class.
Answers
3 phoned 4 used to speak / spoke
5 used to play / would play
6 didn’t use to know 7 Did it used to be
8 used to carry / would carry 9 didn’t work
10 never used to worry / would never worry
11 used to be
E. Complete each sentence b so that it has a similar meaning to sentence a. Use two to four words including the word in brackets.
1 a My Dad was an engineer. (be)
b My Dad ……used to be…… an engineer.
2 a People did more exercise then. (do)
b People …………………………… more exercise then.
3 a We wouldn’t go to the cinema much. (used)
b We …………………………… to the cinema much.
4 a Was Mike in your team? (be)
b …………………………… in your team?
5 a When I was a teenager, I used to get up at 11.00. (would)
b When I was a teenager, I …………………………… at 11.00.
6 a The prices weren’t so expensive in the 1990s. (never)
b The prices …………………………… so expensive in the 1990s.
7 a His sister always used to shout at me. (would)
b His sister …………………………… at me.
8 a Jennifer drank coffee for breakfast every morning. (have)
b Jennifer …………………………… coffee for breakfast.
Answers
2 used to do / would do
3 did not (didn’t) use(d) / used not to go
4 Did Mike used to be 5 would get up
6 never used to be 7 would always shout
8 used to / would have
F. Complete the text using the words in brackets and, where possible, used to or would.
From 1921-1923, there 1…was…… (be) very high inflation in Germany: the cost of things increased very dramatically. The reason for this was the bad political and financial situation after the First World War. The national currency in Germany 2………………………. (be) the Mark. At the beginning of 1921, one American dollar 3………………………. (cost) 60 Marks. By the end of 1922, one dollar 4………………………. (get) you 8,000 Marks. The effect on ordinary German people was terrible. In 1922, a loaf of bread cost three billion Marks. People 5………………………. (buy) something in the morning and find the price much higher a few hours later. There is a story that once someone 6………………………. (leave) a big bag of money outside a shop. When she 7………………………. (come) back, the bag wasn’t there but the money was on the floor! Money 8………………………. (become) worthless, so people 9………………………. (exchange) things. Finally, the government 10………………………. (make) some new money, the Rentenmark, and the inflation stopped.
Answers
2 was / used to be
3 used to cost / would cost / cost
4 would get / got 5 used to buy / would buy
6 left 7 came 8 became
9 used to exchange / would exchange / exchanged
10 made
G.
Write five things you used to do or be when you were younger. Use used to and would.
1 I used to collect coins.
2 ……………………………….
3 ……………………………….
4 ……………………………….
5 ……………………………….
Write four sentences about your friend.
6 Maria used to live in Barcelona.
7 ……………………………….
8 ……………………………….
9 ……………………………….
Answers
your own answers
H. Circle the correct option.
1 He …………… be a millionaire.
a used to b are used to c used
2 Jack …………… sometimes give them some money for sweets.
a used b use c would
3 Last Saturday I …………… a lot of money.
a used to spend
b spent c have spent
4 …………… collect coins when you were young?
a Did you use to
b Would you
c Did you used
5 Money never …………… important to me.
a used to be
b would not be
c wouldn’t be
Answers
1 a 2 c 3 b 4 a 5 a
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