What is the difference between:
I didn't use to have a phone
AND
I didn't have a phone
Maybe the first option is not correct at all? I will be grateful for explanation :).
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1So far as I'm concerned, nobody knows whether it should be didn't use to or didn't used to (impossible to distinguish in speech, which imho is the only "real" language). But even though it's a bit unlikely today, I don't think anyone could seriously argue with the syntax of I usen't to have a phone.– FumbleFingersOct 11, 2020 at 17:14
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..actually, having read all the posts in my above link, I find I'm now convinced by the argument that I didn't use to care is an infinitive - same as I didn't care (not I didn't cared). Particularly when I consider the alternative phrasing I never cared rather than ...didn't [use to] care.– FumbleFingersOct 11, 2020 at 17:21
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I think "speech is the only real languge" is a bit too much. Indeed one key feature of language is that it is medium independent. The human brain can receive language by sound, by written symbols, by signs, by touch(braille) This is a remarkable, yet rarely remarked on, property of human language– James KOct 11, 2020 at 17:24
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The OP didn't ask about the spelling of "didn't use to". The question is about "didn't use to" versus "didn't have".– rjpondOct 11, 2020 at 17:36
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@rjpond: Actually, I think the negation is irrelevant to OP's question, which is really about the difference between I had a phone and I used to have a phone.– FumbleFingersOct 12, 2020 at 15:24
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3 Answers
I used to refers to a situation in the past that lasted for some time. So -
I didn't have a phone (at a particular point in time).
I didn't use to or I used not to have a phone = There was a period of time before I acquired one.
answered Oct 11, 2020 at 17:58
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Thank you! So, in the sentence: When I was young, I...... a phone, didn't have is better and didn't use to would have to be further explained that now i have a phone? Oct 11, 2020 at 18:34
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That isn't what I meant. Cactustictacs' answer explains it in more detail. When I was young is a period of time, not a particular point, so you can say I didn't use to have a phone then, which implies that now you do have one. You could say I couldn't let you know that I was going to be late, because I didn't have a phone (referring to a particular day). Oct 12, 2020 at 8:38
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Used to implies some change has taken place - in the past, some action was done regularly ("I used to ride my bike to school") or some state was true ("this used to be more fun"), but at some point that changed (I stopped riding my bike, or I don't go to school anymore, and the fun thing became less fun). And the negative version says that it wasn't the case, but implies that at some point it became true.
So I didn't use to have a phone is saying that in the past you didn't have one, but it gives the impression that now you do - that situation changed. I didn't have a phone is just talking about one time (or specific period of time) in the past, it isn't saying anything about any other time. You can add other words to imply something changed (like I didn't have a phone then seems to contrast with now), but didn't use to has that sense built in.
I started this with "used to is used to" and had to stop because it was going to look very confusing...
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I prefer the “didn’t use” option in the case where you now have a phone, but didn’t use to. The other option doesn’t seem to be clear on this.
As to the whether it should be “use” or “used”, I’d say “use” in your specific case.
There does seem to be some confusion around it, but I’d basically align it with the following examples:
I used the soap.
I did use the soap.
I didn’t use the soap.
So you’d have:
I used to have a phone.
I did use to have a phone.
I didn’t use to have a phone.
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Thank you! So, in the sentence: When I was young, I...... a phone, didn't have is better and didn't use to would have to be further explained that now i have a phone? Oct 11, 2020 at 18:56
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