Used to vs. Be/Get used to – English Grammar Exercises for B2
Read the following advice given by a professional fitness coach to a beginner who is struggling during their first month of marathon training. Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence. Pay close attention to whether the coach is pointing out a past lazy habit, explaining the current cause of muscle pain, or promising future adaptation.
1 “Your legs are currently burning and feeling incredibly heavy because you ______ running 10 kilometers without stopping.”
(A) didn’t use to
(B) are not used to
(C) aren’t used for
(D) don’t get used to
2 “Don’t panic about the severe muscle soreness. I guarantee that your body ______ this level of physical stress by next month.”
(A) will get used to
(B) will used to
(C) gets used to
(D) will be used with
3 “You have to be patient with yourself and remember that just two months ago, you ______ on the couch playing video games all weekend.”
(A) got used to sitting
(B) were used to sit
(C) used to sit
(D) use to sit
4 “I can see you are exhausted from waking up at 5 AM for these morning runs. Trust the process; your biological clock ______ the early alarms right now.”
(A) used to
(B) is getting used to
(C) is used to
(D) gets use to
5 “Many beginners feel nauseous during long runs because their digestive system ______ processing these highly concentrated sugary energy gels.”
(A) didn’t use to
(B) isn’t used for
(C) isn’t used to
(D) don’t use to
6 “Let’s review your fitness history to understand your baseline. ______ any high-intensity cardio before you signed up for this marathon?”
(A) Did you used to do
(B) Were you used to do
(C) Do you use to do
(D) Did you use to do
7 “The breathing techniques feel unnatural right now, and you might feel out of breath, but you ______ inhaling rhythmically through your nose very soon.”
(A) will get used to
(B) will used to
(C) get used to
(D) are used to
8 “Your calves are cramping severely because you ______ properly before your workouts, which is a terrible past habit we need to break immediately.”
(A) wasn’t used to stretching
(B) didn’t use to stretch
(C) didn’t used to stretch
(D) weren’t used to stretch
9 “As a veteran marathoner, I ______ running 42 kilometers with ease, but I still remember exactly how painful my very first month was.”
(A) am used to
(B) used to
(C) get used to
(D) am use to
10 “If you want to earn that finisher’s medal, you absolutely must ______ pushing through the mental fatigue when you want to quit.”
(A) used to push
(B) get used to pushing
(C) get used to push
(D) be used to pushing
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) are not used to
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Are not used to + V-ing” diagnoses the current cause of the pain. It explains that the trainee’s body is currently unaccustomed to the physical demand of running 10km.
- Error Analysis: (A) didn’t use to is the Common Mistake, misapplying a past habit structure to describe a present state of physical shock. (C) aren’t used for uses the incorrect preposition. (D) don’t get used to is a Tense Error (present simple does not describe a current state of unreadiness).
2 (A) will get used to
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Will get used to + Noun” acts as a motivational promise from the coach. It guarantees that the painful process of adapting will successfully conclude in the future.
- Error Analysis: (B) will used to is the Common Mistake (incorrectly combining the future auxiliary ‘will’ with the past form ‘used to’). (C) gets used to is a Tense Error (missing ‘will’ for a future promise). (D) will be used with uses the wrong preposition (‘with’ instead of ‘to’).
3 (C) used to sit
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Used to + base verb” highlights the trainee’s old, lazy lifestyle that has now been abandoned. It sets up the contrast to explain why the current training is such a shock to the system.
- Error Analysis: (A) got used to sitting is a Meaning Trap (it focuses on the process of adapting to the couch, rather than just stating it as a broken past habit). (B) were used to sit is a Structural Error (requires V-ing). (D) use to sit is a Spelling Error (missing ‘d’).
4 (B) is getting used to
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Is getting used to” perfectly captures the ongoing, active process of adaptation happening “right now” within the runner’s biological clock.
- Error Analysis: (A) used to is a Tense Error/Common Mistake. (C) is used to is a Meaning Trap (if the body was already used to it, the runner wouldn’t be exhausted). (D) gets use to is a Tense/Spelling Error.
5 (C) isn’t used to
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Isn’t used to + V-ing” explains the current state of discomfort. The stomach is currently unfamiliar with the energy gels, causing nausea.
- Error Analysis: (A) didn’t use to is the Common Mistake, placing the lack of familiarity entirely in the past, which fails to explain why the runner feels sick today. (B) isn’t used for is a Preposition Error. (D) don’t use to is a Tense Error.
6 (D) Did you use to do
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (The Key): To ask a question about an obsolete past routine (doing cardio before the program), the correct formula is “Did + subject + use to + base verb”.
- Error Analysis: (A) Did you used to do is the Common Mistake (retaining the ‘d’ after the past auxiliary ‘did’). (B) Were you used to do is a Structural Error (requires V-ing) and a Meaning Trap. (C) Do you use to do is a Tense Error.
7 (A) will get used to
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Will get used to + V-ing” is another reassurance from the coach that the process of learning to breathe properly will be completed soon.
- Error Analysis: (B) will used to is the Common Mistake. (C) get used to is a Tense Error (missing ‘will’). (D) are used to is a Meaning Trap (implies they are already comfortable, contradicting the fact that it currently “feels unnatural”).
8 (B) didn’t use to stretch
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Didn’t use to + base verb” establishes a negative past habit (the failure to stretch in the past), which is the direct root cause of today’s cramps.
- Error Analysis: (A) wasn’t used to stretching is a Meaning Trap (implies the runner was “uncomfortable” with stretching, rather than simply neglecting to do it). (C) didn’t used to stretch is the Common Mistake (double past tense). (D) weren’t used to stretch is a Structural Error.
9 (A) am used to
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Am used to + V-ing” describes the coach’s current, highly conditioned baseline. Running a marathon is normal and comfortable for them right now.
- Error Analysis: (B) used to is the Common Mistake (this would tragically mean the coach formerly ran marathons but doesn’t anymore). (C) get used to refers to the ongoing transition process, but a “veteran” is already fully adapted. (D) am use to is a Spelling Error.
10 (B) get used to pushing
Explanation:
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Must get used to + V-ing” acts as a strict command. The coach is telling the trainee that they are required to actively undergo the process of adapting to mental fatigue.
- Error Analysis: (C) get used to push is a Structural Error (must be followed by a gerund/V-ing, not a base verb). (A) used to push is the Common Mistake/Tense Error. (D) be used to pushing is a Meaning Trap (you cannot command someone to instantly “be” in an adapted state; you command them to enter the process to “get” there).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
When discussing physical training, sports, or building new habits at the B2/C1 level, mastering these three forms allows you to perfectly describe the body’s journey:
1 The Lazy Past: Used to + Base Verb
- Function: Points to old habits (like being sedentary or not stretching) that you have now abandoned.
- Example: “I used to sleep in until 10 AM.” (That habit is dead).
- Rule Check: In questions and negatives, drop the ‘d’: I didn’t use to…
2 The Pain of the Present: Be (not) used to + V-ing / Noun
- Function: Describes your body’s current state. If you are “not used to” a heavy workout, it explains exactly why your muscles hurt today—your body is in shock.
- Example: “My legs aren’t used to running this fast.” (This is the cause of my current pain).
3 The Promise of the Future: Will get used to + V-ing / Noun
- Function: Describes the process of adapting. Coaches use this to promise trainees that if they endure the pain, their bodies will successfully adapt in the future.
- Example: “Keep running! Your lungs will get used to it.” (The painful process will end, and it will become normal).