How to use “used to“ in English

In the English language, we use the phrase used to to describe something that we did in the past but that we do not do anymore. We can use this phrase to talk about past hobbies, jobs or even just habits that we have since left behind or replaced with new ones. For example, a former police officer might say, “I used to be a police officer before I retired.“ Someone who took regular nightly walks might say, “I used to walk down by the river as the sun was setting.“ We can also use it to talk about realities that used to be relevant but have since ceased to be realities. For example, imagine someone is returning home to their old neighborhood, which has changed a lot since they have been there. They might say, “There used to be a building there“ or “That’s where the old bridge used to be.“ Forming used to phrases: Used to phrases are formed, in the affirmative, as follows: Subject used to verb My mom used to dance competitively.