English Dialogue With 'Used to' And 'Be Used to'

Read and Practice

Wendy and Paul, two university students, are reminiscing about their childhoods during a casual conversation. To their surprise, they discover that they both grew up in neighboring countryside towns and even attended the same school, though they never knew each other back then. As they share stories of their past, they reflect on their hobbies, daily routines, and how their lives have changed since moving to the city.

Wendy: "When you were a boy, Paul, where did you live? What were your hobbies? Tell me everything."
Paul: "Well, Wendy, there isn't much to tell. When I was boy, my family used to live in the country - about a hundred miles from the city."
Wendy: "I didn't know you used to live in the country!"
Paul: "You've never asked me about it before."
Wendy: "But my family used to live in the country too, Paul. And we lived about a hundred miles from the city too! Where did you use to live?"
Paul: "Oh, I used to live at Wyanna."
Wendy: "At Wyanna? We used to live at Listerton. That's only a few miles from Wyanna!"
Paul: "Fancy that! As a matter of fact, I used to go to the Listerton school. I used to travel to school by bus every day."
Wendy: "And I used to go to the Listerton school too, of course. I used to ride my bike to school every day. Think of it, Paul! We used to go to the same school, but we didn't know one another in those days."
Paul: "No, we didn't. You must have been in a different class. Oh, I used to enjoy travelling by bus. A lot of children from Wyanna used to travel to school by bus every day, and we used to sing songs in the bus. And we used to whistle too!"
Wendy: "Oh, the poor bus-driver! I enjoyed riding my bicycle to school. I used to ride to school with several other children, and we used to play games on the way to school."
Paul: "What sort of games did you play?"
Wendy: "Oh, we used to count the number of cars we saw, or the number of horses, or something like that. They were very simple games. And we often used to whistle and sing, of course."
Paul: "After school, I used to like making things in my father's workshop. I had my own hammer and my own saw, and I never used my father's tools, because he said I wasn't used to expensive tools .... What did you do after school, Wendy?"
Wendy: "Oh, I used to read books, or play with my dolls. I used to water the garden every day for my father. I'd forgotten that! I never water the garden now. I wonder if Daddy remembers that I watered it every day at Listerton."
Paul: "Well, I never make things now. I haven't used a hammer or a saw for many years. Now I'm a university student. I don't have time for things like that."
Wendy: "Well, I used to like living in the country, but I'm used to the city now."
Paul: "I liked the country too, but now I'm used to lectures and essays and examinations!"
Wendy: "Would you like to go back to Wyanna and Listerton for a holiday one day?"
Paul: "I wouldn't mind a holiday there, but I suppose everything is different now."

^{(Adapted from: English For You - Radio Australia, Lesson No. 97)}

Exercises

1️⃣ Multiple-Choice Quiz

Choose the best answer for each question.

1. What is the topic of the above conversation?
   1. Their favorite subjects at school
   2. Their childhood memories and experiences in the country
   3. Their plans for the future
   4. Their favorite hobbies
2. Where does the conversation probably take place?
   1. At their old school in Listerton
   2. At a family gathering
   3. At a train station
   4. At a university or college
3. What is the most probable relationship between the speakers?
   1. Siblings
   2. Classmates in elementary school
   3. University friends
   4. Co-workers
4. Before the conversation, did the speakers know that they used to go to the same school?
   1. Yes, they had talked about it before
   2. Yes, but they forgot about it
   3. No, they just realized it during the conversation
   4. No, because they studied in different cities
5. How did Wendy and Paul use to travel to school?
   1. Wendy used to ride her bike, and Paul used to take a bus
   2. Wendy used to take a bus, and Paul used to walk
   3. Wendy and Paul both used to take the bus
   4. Wendy and Paul both used to ride bicycles
6. What did they use to do on the way to school?
   1. They both used to read books on the way
   2. Wendy and Paul both used to sleep during the trip
   3. Wendy and Paul used to talk with each other every morning
   4. Paul and his friends used to whistle and sing on the bus, while Wendy and her friends played games on their bikes
7. What did they use to do after school?
   1. Wendy used to make things in her father’s workshop, and Paul used to play with dolls
   2. Wendy used to read books and water the garden, while Paul used to make things in his father's workshop
   3. Wendy and Paul both used to do gardening after school
   4. Wendy used to travel to another city, and Paul used to study hard
8. Why did Paul never use his father's tools?
   1. His father didn’t allow him to use expensive tools
   2. He didn’t like woodworking
   3. He didn’t know how to use them
   4. He preferred playing outside
9. What is their opinion about living in the country?
   1. They both hated living in the country
   2. They plan to move back to the country
   3. They both liked it, but they have now adapted to city life
   4. Wendy misses the country, but Paul doesn’t
10. What does Paul say about going back to Wyanna and Listerton?
    1. He is excited to move back permanently
    2. He wouldn’t mind visiting for a holiday, but he thinks everything has changed
    3. He thinks it would be a waste of time
    4. He doesn’t want to visit at all

2️⃣ Vocabulary Quiz

Match each word or phrase inside the box with its correct meaning. Type your answer in the provided place.

Workshop Whistle Essay Saw Travel

1. A short piece of writing on a particular subject, often expressing the author's personal viewpoint, analysis, or argument
   
2. A place where tools are used for making things
   
3. To make a high-pitched sound by forcing air through the lips or a device
   
4. To go from one place to another
   
5. A tool with a toothed blade used for cutting wood, metal, or other materials
   

3️⃣ True-False Exercise

Write T (True) or F (False) for each statement.

1. Paul and Wendy knew they went to the same school before this conversation.
2. Paul wasn't allowed to use his father's tools.
3. Wendy used to ride a bike to school, while Paul used to take a bus.
4. Paul used to make things in his mother’s workshop after school.
5. Wendy used to play computer games on her way to school.

Let's dive deeper

📘 Perbedaan 'Used To', 'Be Used To', dan 'Get Used To'📘 Habitual Past: "Used to" Untuk Membicarakan Kebiasaan Masa Lalu

Updated: Feb 3, 2025
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