Star Question!
Thanks to Hocene from Algeria for this question:
I should be very grateful to know the use of the special finite USED TO is an auxiliary verb because it helps other verbs, but some teachers advise against using USED TO in questions or negatives and recommend using the simple past tense. Please enlighten me about this confusion.
OK, lets start by keeping things simple. Please work on you question forms! Keep it simple. How about this. 'Please could you advise me how top use USED TO as an auxilliary verb?'
We use used to + infinitive to refer to actions, habits, and general things in the past that we no longer do.
EG:
I used to go to church.
I didn't use to drink so much gin. (note how the verb 'do' takes the tense/aspect and used to is in infinitive here; also below in question form)
Did you use to watch cartoons on TV?
It is perfectly OK to make questions and negatives.
Sometimes it is OK to use the past simple too and mean the same thing. But using 'used to' emphasises the point that it was a past habit that you no longer do.
Tim
quick vs quickly
I found myself in a situation/dilemma after receiving my mail very rapidly: is it correct to write back "That was quick" or "That was quickly"?
Jana
You should respond ‘That was quick’ because quick is an adjective which describes the noun that (the reply).
In the sentence ‘I replied quickly’, quickly is used because it is an adverb which gives us more information about the verb replied.
Tim
other vs another
I have problems with the difference between the words "other" and "another", I use them but I don't know the rules for them. When can I use each one?, Could you give me some examples, please?
Damaris Davila
'Other' is used with plurals and uncountables. 'Another' is one other.
"'Would you like another cake?"
"Most of my class mates enjoy listening to rock music, while the other students ( or just 'the others') prefer dance and pop."
Tim
past simple vs past perfect
I have a question that which sentence is using in which situation for us.
"I had changed the contract already on what you mentioned." and "I changed the contract on what you mentioned."
From these two sentences, please let me know how to use "simple past tense and past perfect tense". It's really made us confused.
Mya Aye, Myanmar
The simple past ( second sentence ) is used when talking about something which happened in the past. Very simple this one.
The past perfect ( first sentence ) is never used on its own. It is used WITH the past simple, or continuous, to refer to something that happened BEFORE the time refered to by the past simple. Like a flash back or to give background information.
E.g. " I got up, I had coffee, I had a shower, then I went back to bed again because I was feeling terrible because I HAD DRUNK too much the night before."
The first 4 verbs are in the past simple, in order of when they happened, the 5th one is in the past continuous. The last one is in the past perfect as this refers to something that happened BEFORE I got up.
I hope this helps.
Tim
doggone
Could you explain the meaning of the expression "doggone it" ?
Jacques, France
We use this phrase in the same way we use 'damn'. We use it to show that we are annoyed about something. One theory why we say it is that it's a blend form of "dog on it"; in fact, it is still often used with 'it' following. It is thus a brother to the old English phrase, 'a pox upon it,' but is less rude. Doggone (it) is an American English expression and not used in British English. Example: "I can't find my doggone keys! Have you seen them?"
Tim
