Used to be意思
"Used to be" is a phrase in English that indicates something was once the case but is no longer true. It often implies a sense of nostalgia or a reference to the past. Here are a few examples of how "used to be" can be used in sentences:
- "I used to be a teacher, but now I work in marketing."
- "This town used to be very quiet, but now it's become quite busy."
- "We used to live in the city, but we moved to the countryside a few years ago."
- "She used to be really shy, but now she's quite outgoing."
- "The restaurant used to be open 24/7, but now it closes at midnight."
The phrase "used to" is used to talk about actions or states that were common or regular in the past but are not anymore. It is often contrasted with "would," which is used to talk about actions that were habitual in the past without implying that they are no longer the case. For example:
- "I used to play the piano every day." (I don't play the piano every day anymore.)
- "I would play the piano every day." (I don't specify if I still play every day or not.)
"Used to" is also used to contrast with the present or to emphasize the change from a past situation to the current one. It is important to note that "used to" is almost always used in the past tense and does not have a direct equivalent in the continuous form.
In summary, "used to be" is a way to talk about something that was true or common in the past but is no longer the case.