In the affirmative form, we use used to to describe an ongoing action or state in the past. We cannot follow the word to with playing. We need to use the infinitive form after used to: I used to play tennis.
Habitual Aspect
The habitual aspect is a form of expression connoting repetition or continuous existence of a state of affairs.
Standard English has two habitual aspectual forms in the past tense. One is illustrated by the sentence I used to go there frequently. The used to infinitive construction always refers to the habitual aspect when the infinitive is a non-stative verb; in contrast, when used to is used with a stative verb, the aspect can be interpreted as stative (that is, it indicates an ongoing, unchanging state, as in I used to know that), although Bernard Comrie classifies this, too, as habitual. Used to can be used with or without an indicator of temporal location in the past (We used to do that, We used to do that in 1974); but the time indicator cannot be too specific; for example, We used to do that at 3 pm yesterday is not grammatical.
The second way that habituality is expressed in the past is by using the auxiliary verb would, as in Last summer we would go there every day. This usage requires a lexical indication of when the action occurred; by itself the sentence We would go there does not express habituality, while We used to go there does even though it does not specify when. As with used to, would also has other uses in English that do not indicate habituality: in In January 1986 I knew I would graduate in four months, it indicates the future viewed from a past perspective; in I would go if I felt better, it indicates the conditional mood.
English can also indicate habituality in a time-unspecific way, referring generically to the past, present, and future, by using the auxiliary will as in He will make that mistake all the time, won't he?. As with used to and would, the auxiliary will has other uses as well: as an indicator of future time (The sun will rise tomorrow at 6:14), and as a modal verb indicating volition (At this moment I will not tolerate dissent).
Habitual aspect is frequently expressed in unmarked form in English, as in I walked to work every day for ten years, I walk to work every day, and I will walk to work every day after I get well.
C1 / Advanced
A CEFR C1 level English language user is considered to be at Advanced level. A C1 level English language user is expected to have the following abilities:
- Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognize implicit meaning
- Can express themselves fluently and spontaneously, almost effortlessly.
- Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes.
- Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
- Can understand specialized articles and longer technical instructions, even when they do not relate to their field.
- Can use the language effectively and appropriately in their professional and academic life.
At C1 level, English language users are expected to have a high level of fluency and comprehension, with the ability to understand and produce complex language with ease. They should be able to communicate effectively in a variety of settings, both social and professional, using the language flexibly and appropriately. They should also be able to understand specialized texts and technical instructions with little difficulty.
Difficulty: Hard
Hard difficulty. Difficulty levels represent author's opinion about how hard a question or challenge is.