I am curious to know if I am writing this sentence grammatically correctly. I was thinking that using the same verb "use" two times in this sentence is grammatically incorrect.
I used to use this pen.
or
I used this pen earlier.
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Sign up to join this communityI am curious to know if I am writing this sentence grammatically correctly. I was thinking that using the same verb "use" two times in this sentence is grammatically incorrect.
I used to use this pen.
or
I used this pen earlier.
Both sentences are correct.
I used to use this pen.
This sentence communicates that using a particular pen was a habit you no longer indulge in for whatever reason unknown to the reader.
We use "used to + root form" to indicate habits of the past that are no longer a part of our current pattern of behavior.
I used this pen earlier.
This sentence communicates that a particular pen's utility was exploited at a concluded point in time, now the past.
So in the your sentence, the meaning of used is not like using comething. The meaning of used is that you were previously doing whatever and now you don't.
I used to do this, but now I don't.
So when you say
I used to use my pen
You are saying that you were previously using your pen but don't continue to do so currnently.
The difference between:
I used to use this pen
I used this pen earlier
is that the first is more like a habit and you used your pen frequently in the past. If you used a pen once or twice, you would sat I used this pen earlier.