← Horizons B2 B2 Arabic

10B Grammar

Changes in life

Unit 10

I CAN talk about past habits and routines with used to and would
I CAN listen for life changes

Grammar

11 cards

When we look back at our lives, we often want to talk about things we did regularly in the past but no longer do. English gives us two useful structures for this: used to and would. Both describe habits, routines and repeated actions that belonged to an earlier period of our lives.

Look at the table below. It shows the full pattern for used to in affirmative, negative and question forms. Notice carefully how the auxiliary verb did appears in the negative and in questions, but the main word is always the base form use — not used.

Form	Pattern	Example
Affirmative	subject + used to + base verb	I used to live in a small village.
Negative	subject + didn't use to + base verb	I didn't use to like coffee.
Yes/No question	Did + subject + use to + base verb?	Did you use to play outside?
Wh- question	Wh- + did + subject + use to + base verb?	What did you use to do at weekends?

⚠️ A very common error is to say I didn't used to like it. This is incorrect. After did, the verb returns to its base form, so we say I didn't use to like it.

Now let's look at would. We can use would instead of used to, but only for repeated actions, never for past states.

When I was a child, I would visit my grandparents every summer. ✅ (repeated action)
We would play in the park after school. ✅ (repeated action)
I would be very shy at school. ❌ (state — not possible with would)
I used to be very shy at school. ✅ (used to is correct here)

So the rule is: used to can describe both repeated actions and past states, while would can describe only repeated actions. A useful tip is to use would mainly in storytelling, after a time expression like when I was young or every summer. For simple statements of past facts, used to is safer and more flexible.

Finally, remember the question forms carefully. We use Did … use to …? — never Did … used to …?. And in short answers we say Yes, I did. / No, I didn't.

Generating translation…

I used to live in a small village when I was a child.

Notice the structure: subject + used to + base verb.

When I was young, I would play football every Saturday.

Notice that would is used here for a repeated action, with a past time expression.

Required

Look at the negative and question forms above. What word follows didn't and Did?

used to
use to
to use

Required

She ___ (live) in Paris before she moved to London.

Required

We ___ (not / have) a car when I was a student.

Required

___ your father ___ (work) in a factory?

Required

I used to be very quiet at school. — Would can replace used to in this sentence.

Required

Which sentence is correct?

I didn't used to like milk.
I didn't use to like milk.
I didn't using to like milk.

Required

Put the words in order to make a question.

Did
you
use
to
live
in
Manchester?

Required

Complete each sentence with the correct form of use to or used to.

used to
Did
used to
use to
didn't use to

I work in a hospital.

She drink tea.

you play tennis at school?

We go to the beach every summer.

Listening

6 cards

In this section you will listen to a conversation between two old friends, Sarah and Mark, who are meeting again after many years apart. They have not seen each other since they were young, and they have a lot of catching up to do. As you listen, pay attention to the language they use to describe how their lives have changed — you will hear several examples of used to and would.

Before you listen, think for a moment. Prediction question: If you met a friend from your childhood after fifteen years apart, what are three things you would want to ask them about their life? Jobs? Family? Hobbies? Where they live?

The dialogue is in a café near a train station. Sarah has just arrived in London, and Mark has come to meet her. Listen for the key details: where they used to live, what they used to do together, and how their daily lives are different now. Don't try to understand every single word the first time — focus on the gist first, then on specific information, and finally on small details.

Generating translation…

Sarah and Mark meet again after fifteen years. Listen to how they describe the changes in their lives.

S
Sarah Mark! I can't believe it's really you.
M
Mark Sarah! It has been ages. How long has it been now?
S
Sarah About fifteen years. The last time I saw you was at the airport.
M
Mark You used to live just around the corner, didn't you? We used to see each other every weekend.
S
Sarah That's right. I would come to your house and we'd play video games for hours. Those were great times.
M
Mark So, what brings you back to London?
S
Sarah I got a new job here. I'm starting on Monday. And how's life with you?
M
Mark I retired last year. I used to travel a lot for work, but now I just stay at home with my dog.
S
Sarah You retired? Are you still playing golf?
M
Mark I gave up golf, but I took up painting. You'd be surprised at how much I enjoy it.

Required

What is the main topic of the conversation?

Planning a holiday together
How their lives have changed since they last met
A problem at the airport

Required

Mark still plays golf regularly.

Required

Mark says: 'I ___ last year. I used to travel a lot for work, but now I just stay at home with my dog.'

Required

What new activity did Mark start after he retired?

Painting
Travelling
Playing video games

Pronunciation

7 cards

This lesson focuses on a small but important sound contrast: the difference between use /juːz/ and used to /juːst/. These two words look similar in writing, but the final sound is different, and confusing them is a common pronunciation mistake.

How to make the sounds

The /z/ sound in use is a voiced sound. Put the tip of your tongue close to the ridge just behind your upper teeth (this is called the alveolar ridge). Let air flow out, and turn on your voice — you should feel a vibration in your throat and feel your vocal cords moving. Try saying zzz like a bee, then add the /juː/ sound at the front: /juːz/.

The /s/ sound in used to is voiceless. Keep your tongue in almost the same position, but this time switch off your voice — there should be no vibration in your throat, only the sound of air. Try saying sss like a snake. The full pronunciation is /juːst/, and in connected speech it usually becomes /juːstə/ — I used to work sounds like I yustuh work.

Why the change?

In normal English, when a /d/ sound comes before a /t/ sound (as in used to), the /d/ becomes unvoiced and turns into /s/. This is a natural process of assimilation in connected speech. So even though we write used, we pronounce it as if it ended in /s/, not /z/.

Word	Pronunciation	Voiced?
use	/juːz/	voiced
used (in used to)	/juːst/	voiceless
used (in a used car)	/juːzd/	voiced

Practice words with /juːz/: use, excuse, news, lose, choose. Practice words with /juːst/: used to, boost, roost, juiced (informal), goosestep. Listen carefully to the vibration in the first group and the pure air sound in the second group.

Generating translation…

To make /z/: tongue near the ridge behind your upper teeth, voice ON — feel the vibration. To make /s/: same tongue position, voice OFF — only air. In used to the /d/ becomes /s/ because of the following /t/.

Required

Which word do you hear?

use
used

Required

Which word do you hear?

use
used

Required

Say the word. Feel the vibration in your throat for the final /z/ sound.

use

Required

Now say used to. The final sound should be /s/ — voiceless, no vibration. Listen for the difference.

used to

Required

Practise the full sentence. The /d/ in used should become /s/ before to.

I used to live in London.

Speaking

7 cards

Now it is your turn to talk about changes in your life. Below are some useful phrases that will help you sound natural. Read them carefully and try to use at least three of them in your own answers.

English phrase	Arabic gloss
I used to live in …	كنت أعيش في …
I didn't use to like …	لم أكن أحب …
I would always …	كنت دائمًا …
After that, I …	بعد ذلك، أنا …
I gave up … and took up …	تركت … وبدأت …
These days, I …	هذه الأيام، أنا …
My life has changed a lot.	تغيّرت حياتي كثيرًا.
It's strange, but I …	إنه غريب، لكنني …

A good structure for your answer is: (1) set the time with when I was younger or a few years ago, (2) describe the old habit with used to or would, and (3) describe the change with but now or these days. For example: "When I was younger, I used to stay up very late, but these days I go to bed at ten." or "I used to hate vegetables, but now I love cooking them."

In the model dialogue below, you will hear a short conversation between two people who have not seen each other for a long time. Notice how they react to each other's news, ask follow-up questions, and use used to naturally. Then you will practise some key sentences yourself, and finally you will have a live conversation with the AI.

Generating translation…

Listen to this short model conversation. Notice how the speakers use used to and would to talk about changes.

L
Lina Omar! It's so good to see you. How have you been?
O
Omar Really good, thanks. You know, I used to hate running, but I took it up last year.
L
Lina Really? I used to run every morning when I lived in Beirut. I'd run along the seafront.
O
Omar That sounds amazing. Do you still run these days?
L
Lina Not as much, sadly. These days I'm too busy with the kids.
O
Omar I understand. My life has changed a lot too.

I used to live in a big city, but these days I live in a small town.

This is a useful model sentence. Notice the contrast between used to (past) and these days (present).

Required

Read the sentence aloud. Use the /s/ sound at the end of used and link it naturally to to.

I used to live in Cairo when I was a child.

Required

Read the sentence aloud. Use would for a repeated past habit.

When I was younger, I would always read before bed.

Required

You are meeting an old friend you have not seen for ten years. Describe at least three changes in your life (job, home, hobbies, family) using used to and would. Ask your friend about their own changes too.

Required

I CAN talk about past habits and routines with used to and would
I CAN form correct questions and negatives with used to
I CAN use vocabulary about life changes such as retire, settle down, give up and take up
I CAN hear and use the /s/ vs /z/ contrast between *use* and *used to*
I CAN listen for life changes in a conversation and answer questions about it
I CAN speak about my own life changes in a conversation with a friend

Vocabulary

6 cards

When we talk about how our lives have changed, we need a small set of strong verbs and nouns. These words help us describe the big decisions and small habits that shape a life. Below are eight useful words for this lesson's topic. Read each one carefully, look at the Arabic gloss, and notice how it is used in a real sentence.

Word	Part of speech	Arabic gloss	Example sentence
settle down	verb (phrasal)	يستقر / يبني حياة هادئة	After years of travelling, he finally settled down and started a family.
retire	verb	يتقاعد عن العمل	My grandmother retired at the age of sixty.
get married	verb (phrasal)	يتزوج	They got married in a small church near the sea.
change career	verb (phrasal)	يغير مساره المهني	She changed career from teaching to web design.
give up	verb (phrasal)	يتخلى عن / يقلع عن	He gave up smoking two years ago.
take up	verb (phrasal)	يبدأ (هواية جديدة)	I took up painting during the lockdown.
move	verb	ينتقل (من مكان لآخر)	We moved from Cairo to Dubai in 2018.
habit	noun	عادة	Reading before bed is a healthy habit.

Notice that several of these are phrasal verbs — verbs made of two or three words (settle down, get married, change career, give up, take up). Phrasal verbs are very common in everyday English, and they often cannot be translated word-for-word. For example, give up in English means to stop doing something, even though the words alone might suggest the opposite meaning.

A useful pattern is to combine these verbs with used to when we want to talk about a previous stage of life. We can say: I used to give up easily when I was younger, but now I'm more patient. Or: He used to take up a new sport every year. Mixing these vocabulary items with the grammar from the previous section will help you talk naturally about how life changes over time.

Generating translation…

Read each word and its example. These eight words will help you talk about life changes.

change career tʃeɪndʒ kəˈrɪə
To leave one profession or field of work and start another one.
get married ɡɛt ˈmæ.ɹɪd
To enter into marriage; to legally become the spouse of another person.
give up ɡɪv ˈʌp
To stop doing something that you have been doing, often because you cannot continue or succeed. To abandon or
habit ˈhæbɪt
A habit is something that you do regularly and almost without thinking, often because you have done it so many
move muːv
To change position or place; to go from one location to another.
retire rɪˈtaɪə
To leave one's job or stop working permanently, typically because of reaching a certain age. Also means to go
settle down ˈsetəl daʊn
To become calm and relaxed after a period of excitement or activity; or to establish a permanent home in one p
take up teɪk ˈʌp
To begin a new activity, hobby, or interest; to start doing something regularly or to start dealing with a mat