When I Was Little: Used To for Past Habits

About This Resource

A complete Grade 5 ESL grammar pack on used to for past habits and states that are no longer true. Students form positive sentences (I used to cry a lot), negatives (I didn't use to like carrots) and questions (Did you use to…?), compare then and now, interview a family member and write about how they have changed. Includes slides, a lesson plan, worksheet, quiz, homework, flashcards, a rubric and answer keys.

Overview

We use used to + base verb to talk about things that happened regularly in the past or were true in the past but are not true now: I used to sleep with a teddy bear. My town used to be very small. The negative is didn't use to (without d), and the question is Did you use to…? Students compare baby photos and present-day photos, practice the positive, negative and question forms, match then and now sentences and interview a family member about the past. They finish by writing a short paragraph about how they have changed since they were small.

Resource Details

Subject: ESL
Topic: Used To for Past Habits
Category: Grammar
File Type: PDF
File Size: 298.5 KB
Published: 12 Nov 2026
Downloads: 0

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Grade 5 ESL (ages 10–11), A2 50 minutes Grammar speaking listening writing comparing past and present

Learning Objectives

Use used to + base verb for past habits and states.
Form negatives with didn't use to and questions with Did … use to …?
Compare the past and the present in speaking and writing.

How to Use This Resource

Show the slides: a photo of a baby and a ten-year-old. Ask: "What did this person do when they were a baby?"
Do worksheet activities 1 and 2 together.
Students complete activities 3 to 6, then use the quiz and send the homework page home.

Classroom Activity Ideas

Baby photo guess: students bring a baby photo (or draw one); classmates guess and say what they used to do.
Find someone who: students ask Did you use to…? questions and find classmates who answer yes.
Then and now posters: students draw their town or school then and now and label it with used to sentences.

Differentiation

Support: give a chart with positive, negative and question frames and picture prompts. Challenge: students compare used to with the past simple for single events (I used to swim every day. I swam in the sea last summer.).

Assessment

Use the worksheet and quiz to check form and meaning. Use the rubric to assess the interview and the then-and-now paragraph.

Teacher Tips

Students often write didn't used to or use to in positive sentences. Show that the d disappears after did, just as in other past questions and negatives (did play, not did played). Remind students that used to is only for the past; for present habits we use the present simple.

What's Included

10-page printable PDF lesson pack: teacher lesson plan with timings, materials and differentiation
Key vocabulary list (7 words with meanings and examples)
Student worksheet (6 activities)
Quiz / assessment (3 parts)
Homework practice page
Printable flashcards: 7 A5 picture cards (separate PDF)
Assessment rubric (4 levels)
Lesson slides (editable PowerPoint)
Editable Word version of all student pages
Complete answer key (also as a separate PDF)

Additional Files

Lesson Slides (PPTX)
Editable Student Pages and Lesson Plan (DOCX)
A5 Flashcards (PDF)
Answer Key (PDF)

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