Used to / Be used to / Get used to – English Grammar Exercises for B2
A mountain guide giving a safety briefing to a group of tourists before a high-altitude expedition.
Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence from the guide’s safety briefing.
1 “Listen carefully, everyone. If you ______ high altitudes, this trek will be extremely challenging and potentially dangerous.”
(A) are not use to
(B) didn’t use to
(C) do not get used to
(D) are not used to
2 “Because we are ascending rapidly, it will naturally take your body a few days to ______ the thin air up here.”
(A) get used to
(B) get use to
(C) be used to
(D) used to
3 “I know some of you ______ hike casually in the lowlands, but extreme mountain trekking is a completely different beast.”
(A) are used to
(B) used to
(C) got used to
(D) use to
4 “If your body ______ the sudden drop in temperature, you risk getting hypothermia within hours. Layer your clothing!”
(A) doesn’t use to
(B) didn’t used to
(C) isn’t used to
(D) isn’t used for
5 “Please examine your harnesses. These heavy-duty carabiners ______ secure your safety ropes to the anchor points.”
(A) are used to
(B) used to
(C) are use to
(D) got used to
6 “I can see some of you are already struggling to breathe properly because you ______ carrying such heavy backpacks.”
(A) are not used to
(B) didn’t use to
(C) don’t get used to
(D) aren’t use to
7 “Don’t worry if your heavy snow boots feel awkward right now; I promise you ______ them after the first few miles.”
(A) will be used to
(B) will get use to
(C) will get used to
(D) are used to
8 “If you ______ walking on unstable, rocky terrain, please step very carefully to avoid twisting an ankle.”
(A) are not used to
(B) didn’t used to
(C) not used to
(D) haven’t used to
9 “Be honest with me: did you ______ train with extra weights in your backpack before coming on this expedition?”
(A) used to
(B) use to
(C) get used to
(D) are used to
10 “Our local Sherpas can carry double the weight you are carrying because they ______ this harsh alpine environment.”
(A) are perfectly used to
(B) perfectly used to
(C) get perfectly used to
(D) perfectly use to
11 “We will take frequent breaks so that your lungs can ______ functioning with thirty percent less oxygen.”
(A) be used to
(B) get use to
(C) get used to
(D) used to
12 “If your muscles ______ this level of extreme physical exertion, pushing yourself too hard will lead to severe cramping.”
(A) don’t use to
(B) aren’t used to
(C) didn’t use to
(D) aren’t use to
13 “I ______ think altitude sickness was just a myth for the weak, until I experienced it myself on my first climb.”
(A) was used to
(B) use to
(C) used to
(D) got used to
14 “We cannot rush this ascent. Remember, most people in this group ______ such prolonged physical stress.”
(A) hasn’t used to
(B) aren’t used to
(C) don’t use to
(D) aren’t used for
15 “Keep your tools accessible. These specialized ice axes ______ break through the hard ice on the upper glacier.”
(A) got used to
(B) used to
(C) were use to
(D) are used to
16 “The hardest part of the first day is simply ______ the continuous steep incline.”
(A) getting used to
(B) get used to
(C) used to
(D) getting use to
17 “If you ______ the blinding glare of the snow, wearing your polarized UV goggles is absolutely mandatory to prevent snow blindness.”
(A) haven’t used to
(B) didn’t use to
(C) are not used to
(D) don’t get used to
18 “It took me years as a junior guide before I completely ______ reading the unpredictable weather patterns on this mountain.”
(A) was used to
(B) used to
(C) got used to
(D) got use to
19 “Decades ago, climbers ______ take safety gear seriously, which unfortunately led to many avoidable tragedies.”
(A) didn’t used to
(B) wasn’t used to
(C) weren’t used to
(D) didn’t use to
20 “Ultimately, if you ______ enduring extreme physical and mental discomfort, this mountain will break you. Stay focused!”
(A) aren’t used to
(B) don’t use to
(C) aren’t use to
(D) didn’t use to
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (D) are not used to
- Why it is correct: “If you are not used to + Noun” establishes a conditional warning based on a lack of current familiarity or physical state.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Common Mistake: Missing the “d”. (B) Meaning Trap: Refers to a past habit, which doesn’t fit the present condition. (C) Meaning Trap: Refers to the failure to undergo a process, whereas the guide is warning about their current lack of acclimatization.
2 (A) get used to
- Why it is correct: “Take a few days to” indicates an active process of adapting. “Get used to” is the correct verb phrase for this dynamic transition.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) Common Mistake: Missing the “d”. (C) Meaning Trap: “be used to” describes a static state, which contradicts “take a few days to”. (D) Structural Error.
3 (B) used to
- Why it is correct: Contrasts a past habit (“casual hiking”) with the current extreme reality. Followed by the base verb “hike”.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Structural Error: “are used to” requires a V-ing form (“hiking”). (C) Meaning Trap: “got used to” implies an adaptation process in the past, not a regular habit. (D) Common Mistake: Missing the “d”.
4 (C) isn’t used to
- Why it is correct: The negative condition “If your body isn’t used to + Noun” warns about the dangerous consequence (hypothermia) of lacking physical acclimatization.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Structural Error: Uses the wrong auxiliary for this structure. (B) Common Mistake: Double error (wrong auxiliary for state, and keeping the “d” after “didn’t”). (D) Meaning Trap: “isn’t used for” means “isn’t utilized for”.
5 (A) are used to
- Why it is correct: STRONG DISTRACTOR (The Passive Voice Trap). Carabiners are inanimate objects; they do not have habits. They ARE UTILIZED TO secure ropes (Subject + be used + to-infinitive).
- Distractor Analysis: (B) Meaning Trap: Objects cannot have past habits. (C) Common Mistake: Missing the “d”. (D) Meaning Trap: Objects cannot adapt to something.
6 (A) are not used to
- Why it is correct: Describes the tourists’ current physical unreadiness. Followed by the V-ing form “carrying”.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) Structural Error: “didn’t use to” requires a base verb (“carry”). (C) Meaning Trap: Focuses on the present state, not a refusal to adapt. (D) Common Mistake: Missing the “d”.
7 (C) will get used to
- Why it is correct: Expresses a future promise that the process of adapting to the heavy boots will be successful.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Meaning Trap: “will be used to” is less dynamic; “will get used to” emphasizes overcoming the current awkwardness. (B) Common Mistake: Missing the “d”. (D) Structural Error: Incorrect tense.
8 (A) are not used to
- Why it is correct: A conditional warning (If + Be not used to + V-ing) indicating that lacking familiarity with rocky terrain requires extra caution.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) Structural Error: Past habit requires a base verb (“walk”). (C) Structural Error: Missing the “to be” verb (“are”). (D) Structural Error: Incorrect auxiliary.
9 (B) use to
- Why it is correct: The interrogative form of a past habit. The auxiliary “did” requires the base verb “use” without the “d”.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Common Mistake: Keeping the “d” in a question with “did”. (C) Meaning Trap: Asks about adapting, not about their previous training routine. (D) Structural Error: Requires a V-ing form (“training”).
10 (A) are perfectly used to
- Why it is correct: Describes the Sherpas’ deeply established, current state of being acclimatized to the environment (Noun phrase).
- Distractor Analysis: (B) Structural Error: Missing the “to be” verb (“are”). (C) Meaning Trap: “get used to” means they are still adapting, which contradicts their ability to carry double the weight. (D) Common Mistake.
11 (C) get used to
- Why it is correct: The modal “can” requires a base verb. The sentence describes the ongoing biological process of the lungs adapting to less oxygen.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Meaning Trap: “be used to” implies a sudden jump to a static state, whereas biological acclimatization is a process (get). (B) Common Mistake: Missing the “d”. (D) Structural Error.
12 (B) aren’t used to
- Why it is correct: The conditional warning structure showing a lack of current physical familiarity (Noun phrase: this level of exertion).
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Structural Error: “don’t use to” is not a valid structure for present states. (C) Meaning Trap: Wrong timeframe (past). (D) Common Mistake: Missing the “d”.
13 (C) used to
- Why it is correct: A past state of mind (thinking it was a myth) that changed after a specific event. Followed by the base verb “think”.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Structural Error: Requires a V-ing form. (B) Common Mistake: Missing the “d”. (D) Meaning Trap: You don’t “adapt” to a belief in this context.
14 (B) aren’t used to
- Why it is correct: Describes the group’s current lack of familiarity with extreme stress (Noun phrase).
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Structural Error: Incorrect auxiliary (“hasn’t”). (C) Structural Error: Invalid structure for a current state. (D) Meaning Trap: “aren’t utilized for”.
15 (D) are used to
- Why it is correct: Passive Voice Trap. Ice axes ARE UTILIZED TO break ice (Subject + be used + to-infinitive).
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Meaning Trap: Axes cannot adapt. (B) Meaning Trap: Axes cannot have past habits. (C) Common Mistake: Missing the “d”.
16 (A) getting used to
- Why it is correct: A Gerund phrase is needed as the subject complement after the “to be” verb (“is”). Therefore, “get” becomes “getting”.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) Structural Error: Cannot use a base verb immediately after “is” in this structure. (C) Meaning Trap. (D) Common Mistake: Missing the “d”.
17 (C) are not used to
- Why it is correct: “If you are not used to + Noun” establishes the condition of lacking familiarity, leading to a mandatory safety rule.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Structural Error: “haven’t” is not used in this structure. (B) Structural Error: Requires a base verb, not a noun. (D) Meaning Trap: Changes the meaning to a refusal to adapt.
18 (C) got used to
- Why it is correct: The phrase “took me years” highlights a long, completed process in the past, making the past tense of “get used to” correct.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Meaning Trap: “was used to” implies a state that already existed, ignoring the “took me years” process. (B) Structural Error: Requires a base verb, not “reading”. (D) Common Mistake: Missing the “d”.
19 (D) didn’t use to
- Why it is correct: A negative past habit (they did not have the habit of taking safety seriously). The auxiliary “didn’t” removes the “d” from “use”.
- Distractor Analysis: (A) Common Mistake: Keeping the “d” after “didn’t”. (B) Structural Error: Subject-verb agreement (“climbers wasn’t”). (C) Structural Error: “weren’t used to” requires a V-ing form.
20 (A) aren’t used to
- Why it is correct: The ultimate conditional warning. Lacking the current physical/mental state of familiarity (followed by V-ing “enduring”) will result in failure.
- Distractor Analysis: (B) Structural Error. (C) Common Mistake: Missing the “d”. (D) Meaning Trap: A past habit doesn’t dictate the present conditional consequence.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
When issuing safety advice or warnings about extreme conditions:
- The “If” Warning (Lack of Familiarity): Use If + Subject + Be NOT used to + Noun / V-ing.
- Function: This is a highly effective way to warn someone that their lack of physical or mental acclimatization makes a situation dangerous.
- Example: “If you are not used to the cold, you will freeze.”
- The Process of Acclimatization: Use Get used to + Noun / V-ing.
- Function: Used to encourage people that biological adaptation is a process that takes time (e.g., It takes time to get used to the altitude).
- Contrasting Environments: Use Used to + Base Verb.
- Function: Reminds people that their safe, comfortable past habits do not apply in this extreme environment.
- Example: “You used to hike on flat ground, but this is a vertical climb.”
- Gear and Equipment (Passive Voice): Remember that ropes, carabiners, and axes do not have habits or feelings. They are used to (utilized to) keep you alive! This is followed by a Base Verb.