3.16. Grammar practice. Sample answers.

You’ve just left home for the first time.

What did you use to do? I used to come home before midnight.

What didn’t you use to do? I didn’t use to come home at six o’clock in the morning.

What are you getting used to doing?  I’m getting used to cooking my own food.

You’ve moved to a dirty flat in London with awful English students.

What did you use to do? I used to live in a nice clean flat with my family.

What didn’t you use to do? I didn’t use to have to clean up because my mother did it all.

What are you getting used to doing? I’m getting used to being unhappy alone in a cold, stinking, dirty city.

You’ve given up your job at the old people’s home.

What did you use to do? I used to listen to them repeating the same boring stories all day long.

What didn’t you use to do? I didn’t use to talk to them much. I had to shout. Most of them were deaf.

What are you getting used to doing? I’m getting used to being around young people again, and not having to shout.

You’re unemployed.

What did you use to do? I used to have a job, a career, a life, get up early, wash, have money, and be a healthy person.

What didn’t you use to do? I didn’t use to spend all day watching dreadful daytime television, and eating biscuits.

What are you getting used to doing? I’m getting used to not washing or going out. I haven’t got the motivation any more.

You’ve given up smoking marijuana.

What did you use to do? I used to forget everything, but it was cool. I used to eat enormous amounts of chocolate at three o’clock in the morning, listen to The Doors and talk about existentialism and conspiracy theories.

What didn’t you use to do? I didn’t use to work. I just sold drugs.

What are you getting used to doing? I’m getting used to being in prison.

You’ve succeeded in stopping gambling.

What did you use to do? I used to spend all day in the betting office.

What didn’t you use to do? I didn’t use to have any money to feed my family.

What are you getting used to doing? I’ve got used to being divorced.

You’ve got married to a strict feminist (men)/an awful male chauvinist (women).

What did you use to do? I used to make my girlfriends wash up and cook for me./ I used to have sensitive caring boyfriends, not sexist, beer-drinking slobs.

What didn’t you use to do? I didn’t use to get lectures all day on feminist nonsense. / I didn’t use to listen to puerile macho stupidly about offside, women’s breasts and lager.

What are you getting used to doing? I’m getting used watching my girlfriend do the gardening. / I’m getting used to a pig that talks.

You’ve become one of those old, miserable pensioners that you’ve always hated.

What did you use to do? I used to like people.

What didn’t you use to do? I didn’t use to shout obscenities at everybody.

What are you getting used to doing? I’m getting used to saying things like, ‘Bloody kids of today! In my day...’

You’ve become the millionaire author of a truly original book.

What did you use to do? I used to read rotten unoriginal nonsense.

What didn’t you use to do? I didn’t use to do anything because I was so busy writing the book.

What are you getting used to doing? I’m getting used to going to parties with Jackie Collins.

You’ve got married to the prince/princess.

What did you use to do? I used to go out with Leslie Wilson from the fish and chip shop.

What didn’t you use to do? I didn’t use to have afternoon tea with my mother-in-law the Queen.

What are you getting used to doing? I’m getting used to Prince Charles’ bad breath.

You’ve got divorced from him/her.

What did you use to do? I used to take the private jet everywhere.

What didn’t you use to do? I didn’t use to take the 73 bus very much.

 

What are you getting used to doing? I’m getting used to going out with that girl who always smells of fried fish again.