Use to or Used to: Know the Differences and Rules

The most common mix-up between used to and use to occurs when describing the feeling of being accustomed to something, or “used to” it. Here are some examples of used to as an adjective. Notice that each of these sentences also includes a form of the helping verb to be (is, wasn’t, are).

• She’s use to disappointment. (Incorrect)
  She’s used to disappointment. (Correct)
• Carl wasn’t use to sleeping with the window open. (Incorrect)
  Carl wasn’t used to sleeping with the window open. (Correct)
• The students are use to staying inside when it’s raining. (Incorrect)
  The students are used to staying inside when it’s raining. (Correct)

Using used to as an adjective is clear cut – always used to, never use to. You’ll noticed that used to is followed by a noun in these examples. “Sleeping” and “staying” are gerunds, words that are formed from verbs but function as nouns.

Someone can be “used to” to a condition or situation, but they are never “use to” it. But, that doesn’t mean there’s no place for use to in a sentence.