Used to be什么意思

"Used to be" is an expression in English that means something was different in the past but is not the case anymore. It often refers to a situation, condition, or state that existed before but has since changed. Here are a few examples to illustrate its usage:

1. "I used to be a teacher, but now I'm a software developer."

   • This means the person was a teacher in the past but has changed careers.

2. "This city used to be a quiet place, but now it's very crowded."

   • This indicates that the city was quieter in the past but has become more populated.

3. "We used to live in the city, but now we live in the countryside."

   • This means the person's place of residence has changed from urban to rural.

4. "He used to be very tall, but now he's average height."

   • This suggests that the person's height has changed over time.

The phrase "used to" is used to talk about actions or states that were true in the past but are no longer true. It is often contrasted with "would," which is used to talk about actions that were habitual in the past but might still be true. For example:

• "I used to play basketball every day." (I don't play basketball every day anymore.)
• "I would play basketball every day." (I might still play basketball every day.)

In summary, "used to be" is used to describe something that was different in the past and is no longer the same.