Which one is right?
"My exorbitant tuition in MIT used to be paid by my sister." OR "My exorbitant tuition in MIT was used to be paid by my sister."
1
-
1You might be interested in our sister site, English Language Learners; you can find it here. It is helpful in answering basic questions.– anongoodnurseCommented Sep 29, 2014 at 4:20
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
"Used to be" is correct. It already conveys that the events were in the past. "Used to" also conveys that something is / was customary or enduring.
"I used to have hair, but now I am bald." ("Used to" = it was a customary or enduring feature of the past) "I am not used to being spoken to with such disrespect." ("Used to" = in the past and up to now, people typically haven't spoken to me that way)
"My sister paid my fees." (Ambiguous between only once or more often) "My sister used to pay my fees." (Implies that she did so multiple times, but no longer does)
-
Note that the sentences i presented are in the passive voice. Should you add "was" to the verb phrase when you transform it from active to passive?– KeiCommented Oct 1, 2014 at 12:04