English B1 – Intermediate

🎙️ Click to View Video Transcript

Below is the transcript of today’s video brief. Listen to your lesson avatar describe how the corporate world has shifted, noticing the contrast between the past and the present:

“Hello everyone, and welcome back! Today, we are talking about life shifts. Think about how much your routine has transformed. A few years ago, most employees used to commute to a physical office every single day. We used to have massive paper files, and meetings used to take place exclusively in boardrooms. Today, everything is different. We work remotely, files live in the cloud, and collaboration happens instantly online.”

💡 Listening Comprehension Check: Notice that when the speaker says “used to commute,” they are talking about a permanent past habit that does NOT happen anymore. It highlights an absolute contrast with today!

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Lesson 12: Describing Change

Mastering “Used To” for Past Habits vs. Present States

Your Skill Targets for Today

Grammar Mechanics: Build clear affirmative and negative statements using used to / didn’t use to.
Active Reading: Contrast historical workplace habits with modern workflows.
Speaking & Shadowing: Practice reduction and natural linking rules to sound smooth when speaking about transitions.

1. Structuring the Contrast: Past vs. Present

We use the expression “used to + base verb” to talk about something we did regularly in the past, but we do not do now. It helps your listener mentally build a timeline of change.

Affirmative: Subject + used to + Base Verb
(A past habit that stopped)

“I used to drink three cups of coffee a day, but now I prefer herbal tea.”

Negative: Subject + didn’t use to + Base Verb
(Note: Drop the “d” from “used” because “didn’t” already indicates the past!)

“We didn’t use to use cloud systems, but now they are mandatory for our work.”

2. Active Reading: The Evolution of a Professional

Your Task: Read the professional reflection below. Locate the three habits the writer had in the past, and identify what they do instead today.

📝 Mini-Article: Adapting to the Times

“Ten years ago, my professional life looked completely different. I used to travel twice a month for client pitches, which was exhausting. Furthermore, our business used to spend thousands of dollars on print advertising, and we didn’t use to worry about building an online brand. Today, our pitches are hosted on Zoom, our ads run on social media channels, and digital visibility is our top priority.”

🔍 Click to Verify Your Reading Answers

• Past Habits Found: 1. Used to travel for pitches. 2. Used to spend money on print ads. 3. Didn’t use to worry about an online brand.

• Modern Replacements: 1. Video calls on Zoom. 2. Social media ads. 3. High digital priority.

3. Interactive Dialogue: Catching Up on Lunch Break

See how naturally coworkers utilize this structure to map out personal and technological developments during a casual conversation:

Mark:

“Hey Sandra, do you still take the train to work every morning?”
Sandra:

“Oh, hi Mark! No, I used to live near the central station, so the train made sense. But I bought a car last year, so now I drive.”

Sandra:

“By the way, are you still managing the marketing database manually?”
Mark:

“No way! We used to waste hours on data entry, but our new system does it automatically now.”

🎙️ Speaking Challenge: Shadowing Change & Reduction

When native speakers say “used to,” they don’t say it slowly as two separate words. They reduce it. The “to” changes to a soft /tə/ sound, sounding like “use-tuh”. Let’s master this pronunciation shortcut!

Step 1: Click the audio play button below. Listen carefully to how the speaker smoothly links “used to” to the main action without pausing.

Step 2: Read the comparison text below out loud alongside the audio file, aiming to copy that linked “use-tuh” rhythm perfectly:

“Before the pandemic, my team used to work in the main building, and we used to have in-person status meetings every morning. I didn’t use to like online communication, but now, I absolutely love the flexibility of working from home.”

Step 3 (Your Speaking Task): Open your voice recorder. Record yourself reading the passage above. Listen to your track and check: Did you pronounce it as separate words, or did you link it smoothly like “use-tuh work” and “use-tuh have”?