Used to ESL Games, Activities and Worksheets

In this handy used to speaking activity, students practice forming, asking and answering used to and get used to conversation questions. First, in two groups, students complete each conversation question with the verb to be, do, or have, and the correct form of used to or get used to. Students then pair up with someone from the other group and take turns asking and answering the used to conversation questions with their partner. Afterwards, students share what they found out about their partner with the class.

In this imaginative used to game, students talk about how things were different in the past using used to and didn't use to. In groups, students take turns picking up a card (e.g. computers) and talking about the topic on the card for 30 seconds, saying how the thing was different in the past, e.g. 'Computers used to have floppy disks. The monitors didn't use to be flat like they are today, etc…' For every sentence with used to and didn't use to the student makes, they score one point. The student with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

In this engaging used to speaking activity, students conduct a survey to find out what their classmates' lives were like as children by asking and answering Did you use to...? questions. First, students write a suitable Did you use to…? question for each category. For example, in the games category, a student might write 'Did you use to play hide and seek as a child?' Next, students go around the class, asking each other their questions and noting down the answers by putting a small tick for yes or a cross for no in the appropriate column. Finally, students report their findings to the class.

In this free used to board game, students practice used to and the past simple by discussing and answering questions about childhood memories. The game is ideal for teenagers or adults and provides students with a great opportunity to practice building a conversation about growing up. Players take turns rolling the dice and moving their counter along the board. When a player lands on a square, the student on their right asks them the question on the square about their experience of growing up. The player then uses used to and the past simple to answer the question. Next, the group explores the topic by asking follow-up questions and giving comments. The first player to reach the finish wins the game.

In this insightful used to game, students guess a partner's answers to I used to... sentences about their childhood by asking Did you use to...? questions. First, students read I used to... sentences, think about their childhood and write a true short answer for each one, e.g. 'I used to have to do it every day.' Answer: the washing up. Students then try to guess what their partner wrote by writing a Did you use to...? question for each sentence, e.g. 'Did you use to have to do your homework every day?' Next, students take turns asking each Did you use to...? question to their partner, who responds Yes, I did or No, I didn't accordingly. If the first question is right, the student scores three points. If not, the student guesses again by asking another Did you use to...? question for two points and then one more for one point. If none of the questions are right, their partner reveals the correct answer. The student with the most points at the end of the game wins.

In this amusing used to game, students give true and false information about their childhood. First, in two groups, students answer each prompt with true or false information as indicated, writing their answers in sentence form with used to. Next, students pair up with someone from the other group and take turns reading each used to statement to their partner, e.g. 'I used to love playing chess when I was a child.' Their partner then asks follow-up questions to help them decide whether the answer is true or false. Their partner then guesses if the student is lying or telling the truth and the correct answer is revealed. If their partner guesses correctly, they score a point. The student with the most points at the end of the game wins.

In this fun used to game, students guess inventions by listening to a partner talk about what people used to do and didn't use to do before they existed. First, in two groups, students complete sentences with what people used to do and didn't use to do before the invention of each item on their worksheet. Next, students pair up with someone from the other group and take turns reading their sentences to their partner using the word 'blank' for the underlined invention, e.g. 'Before the invention of the 'blank', people used to...' Their partner then has three chances to guess the invention. For each correct guess, students score a point. If their partner is having trouble guessing, students make more sentences with used to and didn't use to until they have had three guesses. The student with the most points at the end of the game wins.

In this free used to vs. present simple activity, students ask and answer questions about the way things used to be when they were 12 and the way things are now. First, students answer questions about when they were 12 years old. Go through the did you use to questions from the prompts with the class, e.g. 'What did you use to look like when you were 12 years old?' Students then write answers to the questions under the heading, writing their answers in sentence form using used to, e.g. 'I used to have long brown hair and spots.' Next, students answer questions about how they are now. Go through the question prompts again with the class, but this time using the present simple, e.g. 'What do you look like now?' Students then write answers to the questions under the heading 'Now' using the present simple, e.g. 'Now, I have short blonde hair, and I wear make-up.' In pairs, students then take turns asking and answering the questions about the way things used to be when they were 12 and the way things are now. Finally, students tell the class about how their partner has changed.

In this productive used to worksheet, students practice forms of used to in affirmative and negative statements and Wh questions. To begin, students reorder words to form sentences with used to. Students then rewrite past simple sentences using used to. Next, students use verbs from a box to write negative didn't use to sentences. After that, students use prompts to make Wh questions with did you use to. Finally, students ask and answer the questions with a partner.