Shaky English Logo
BlogBusinessesSchoolsDownload the App

Resources

Blog

Follow us:

Services

TeachersSchoolsBusinesses

Contact & Legal

Contact UsFeedback & IdeasPrivacy PolicyTerms of Use

© 2026 Shaky English. All rights reserved.

  1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. Tenses & Verb Forms
  4. Used to / Be used to / Get used to
Tenses & Verb Forms

Used to / Be used to / Get used to

2 min read
Share:

Used to, be used to, and get used to look similar, but they have very different meanings. The key difference is between past habits and being comfortable with something.

1. Used to → past habits or states (no longer true)

Use used to + base verb to talk about things that were true in the past but are not true now.

  • I used to live in London. (now I don’t)
  • She used to play tennis every weekend.
  • We used to be close friends.

2. Be used to → be comfortable with something

Use be used to + noun / -ing to say that something is normal or familiar.

  • I am used to waking up early.
  • She is used to the noise.
  • They are used to working long hours.

Important: after “to”, we use -ing, not the base verb.

  • ❌ I am used to wake up early.
  • ✔️ I am used to waking up early.

3. Get used to → become comfortable

Use get used to + noun / -ing when the situation is changing.

  • I am getting used to waking up early.
  • She got used to the weather.
  • You will get used to working here.

Key differences

  • Used to → past (no longer true)
  • Be used to → already comfortable
  • Get used to → becoming comfortable

💡 Tip

  • Used to = past life
  • Be used to = OK now
  • Get used to = transition
  • After “used to” (habit) → base verb
  • After “used to” (comfort) → -ing

Test your knowledge 📝

Question 1 sur 10Score: 0/10

I ___ in Paris, but now I live in Lisbon.

Discover the app: Shaky English

Join 100,000 people who are improving their English skills on the Shaky English app

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Other similar rules

Conjugation

What Is an Adverb?

An adverb is a word that modifies or gives more information about a verb, adjective, another adverb, or even a whole sentence. It helps answer questions like how?, when?, where?, and how often? Adver...

Read more→
A bit of theory

Affect vs. Effect

Let’s make the difference between affect and effect easy to understand! Affect Affect is usually a verb. It means to influence or to make a change. Too much screen time can affect your sleep....

Read more→
Common confusions

Whether vs. If

In English, we often use “whether” and “if” when talking about possibilities or conditions — but they are not always the same. When to Use Whether Use “whether” when there are two or more choices. It...

Read more→
Conjugation

What is a Preposition?

A preposition is a small word that shows a relationship between other words in a sentence. It often describes direction, location, time, or introduces an object. Common Functions of Prepositions...

Read more→
Vocabulary

Semicolons

Semicolons (;) help connect ideas that are closely related. They are stronger than a comma but less final than a period. Let’s look at how to use them correctly. 1. Use a semicolon to join two relate...

Read more→
Agreement rules

Incorrect Passive Voice Usage

The passive voice is used when the focus is on the action or the object, not the person doing the action. But it can cause confusion or sound unnatural when used incorrectly — especially if the senten...

Read more→
Agreement rules

So vs. Such

So and such are used to add emphasis. They both mean “very,” but they are used with different grammatical structures. 1. So → before adjectives and adverbs Use so before an adjective or an adverb....

Read more→
Agreement rules

Tag Questions (You’re French, aren’t you?)

Tag questions are short questions added to the end of a statement to check information or confirm something. They’re common in everyday conversation and often used to invite agreement. How do tag que...

Read more→