Get used to doing something Practice Tests with B2 Grammar Rules & Examples

Get Used to Doing Something

Have you ever moved to a new city, started a new job, or changed your daily routine? At first, everything feels strange. But slowly, things start to feel more comfortable and familiar. In English, we use the phrase get used to doing something to talk about this process — the gradual process of becoming comfortable with something new or different.

This phrase is very common in spoken and written English at the B2 level, and it is important not to confuse it with similar phrases. In this lesson, you will learn exactly how to use get used to doing something, how it differs from related expressions, and how to avoid common mistakes.

Look at this simple example first:

When Maria moved from Spain to Scotland, she found the cold weather very difficult. But after a few months, she got used to wearing a heavy coat every day.

This means Maria found wearing a heavy coat strange at first, but it gradually became normal and comfortable for her. That is exactly what get used to doing something expresses.

Rule Breakdown: Get Used to Doing Something

The Basic Structure

The structure of this phrase is:

Subject + get/gets/got/getting + used to + verb-ing (or noun)

Let's look at each part:

• get / gets / got / getting — This is the verb "get", and it changes depending on the tense you are using.
• used to — This part never changes. It always stays as "used to".
• verb-ing (or noun) — After "used to", you always use a verb with -ing (a gerund) or a noun. Never use the infinitive (to + verb) here.

Think of "used to" here as similar to a preposition. In English, after a preposition, we always use a gerund (verb + -ing), not an infinitive. For example, we say "I'm interested in learning", not "I'm interested in learn". The same rule applies after "used to" in this phrase.

What Does It Mean?

Get used to doing something describes a process of change. It means something was difficult, unusual, or uncomfortable at first, but it is becoming — or has become — more familiar and easier over time.

It answers the question: "Is this person becoming more comfortable with something new?"

• I am getting used to waking up early. (= It was hard at first, but it is gradually becoming easier.)
• She got used to driving on the left. (= It felt strange at first, but eventually it became normal.)
• He will get used to living alone. (= It is not comfortable now, but it will become comfortable in the future.)

Using Get Used to in Different Tenses

Because get is a regular verb (in this context), you can use it in any tense. The key part — used to + verb-ing — never changes. Only get changes according to the tense.

Tense	Form of "get"	Example Sentence
Present Simple	get / gets	I get used to new routines quite quickly.
Present Continuous	am/is/are getting	She is getting used to her new schedule.
Past Simple	got	We got used to living in a small flat.
Past Continuous	was/were getting	He was getting used to the noise in the city.
Present Perfect	have/has got	They have got used to working from home.
Future Simple	will get	You will get used to speaking in public.
Modal Verbs	can/could/might + get	You can get used to anything with practice.

Negative Forms

To make a negative sentence, add not after the auxiliary verb (or after "get" in the present simple):

Subject + do/does/did + not + get used to + verb-ing

• I can't get used to eating so late at night.
• She didn't get used to the long commute.
• He never got used to the cold winters.
• They are not getting used to the new software.

Question Forms

To make a question, move the auxiliary verb before the subject:

• Did you get used to living abroad?
• Are you getting used to your new boss?
• Have they got used to the new system?
• How long does it take to get used to a new language?

Get Used to + Noun

Remember, after get used to, you can also use a noun instead of a verb-ing. This is because "to" in this phrase functions like a preposition, and prepositions can be followed by nouns.

Structure	Example
get used to + noun	She got used to the noise.
get used to + noun phrase	He is getting used to his new colleagues.
get used to + pronoun	It takes time, but you will get used to it.
get used to + verb-ing	I got used to waking up at 6 a.m.

Important Differences: Three Confusing Phrases

This is where many learners make mistakes. There are three phrases that look very similar but have completely different meanings:

1. Get used to doing (Process of becoming familiar)

Meaning: Something is becoming or has become more familiar and comfortable after a period of change.

Focus: The process of adapting. It suggests something was difficult or unfamiliar before.

I got used to driving on the left when I moved to the UK. (= It was strange at first, but I adapted.)

2. Be used to doing (Already familiar — the result)

Meaning: Something is already comfortable and familiar right now. You have already adapted.

Focus: The state of being familiar. Something no longer feels strange.

I am used to driving on the left now. (= I have already adapted. It feels normal.)

Think of it this way: get used to is the journey (the process of adapting), and be used to is the destination (already adapted).

3. Used to do (Past habit or state — no longer true)

Meaning: Something happened regularly in the past but does NOT happen now. It describes a past habit or a past situation that has ended.

Focus: A past routine or state that is finished.

I used to drive on the right. (= In the past, I drove on the right. I don't any more.)

Important: "Used to do" is followed by the base infinitive (used to + verb), NOT verb-ing. And it only exists in the past. There is no "I use to" or "I will use to".

Comparison Table

Phrase	Structure	Meaning	Example
Get used to doing	get + used to + verb-ing	Process of becoming familiar	I am getting used to the noise.
Be used to doing	be + used to + verb-ing	Already familiar (current state)	I am used to the noise now.
Used to do	used to + base verb	Past habit / state (no longer true)	I used to live in a quiet village.

A Mini Story to Show the Difference

Tom used to live in a small, quiet village. (Past habit — he no longer lives there.)
When he moved to London, he found the noise and the busy streets very stressful. Slowly, he got used to living in a big city. (Process — it was hard, but he adapted.)
Now, after five years, he is used to the city life and actually loves it. (State — it is completely normal for him now.)

More Natural Examples in Context

Here are some realistic situations where you would use get used to doing something:

• After starting her night shift, she got used to sleeping during the day.
• My children are slowly getting used to their new school.
• I don't think I'll ever get used to eating sushi for breakfast!
• It took me a while, but I got used to using the new software at work.
• Have you got used to speaking English every day yet?
• Moving to a new country is hard, but most people get used to it eventually.
• She couldn't get used to the humidity in Singapore — she found it exhausting.

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using the infinitive instead of verb-ing after "used to"

❌ I got used to wake up early.
✅ I got used to waking up early.

After get used to, always use verb-ing, not the base infinitive.

Mistake 2: Confusing "get used to doing" with "used to do"

❌ I used to living in a flat when I was a student.
✅ I used to live in a flat when I was a student.

"Used to do" (past habit) is followed by the base infinitive. "Get used to doing" is followed by verb-ing. They are different structures with different meanings.

Mistake 3: Forgetting that "to" belongs to "used to", not to the following verb

❌ I got used to to wake up early.
✅ I got used to waking up early.

"To" is already part of the expression "used to". Do not add another "to" before the verb-ing.

Mistake 4: Using "get used to" and "be used to" interchangeably

❌ I got used to the traffic — it feels totally normal now. (You have finished the process, so use "be used to".)
✅ I am used to the traffic now — it feels totally normal.

Use get used to for the process of adapting. Use be used to when you have already adapted.

Mistake 5: Using "get used to" for a past habit

❌ When I was young, I got used to play outside every day.
✅ When I was young, I used to play outside every day.

For a past habit that no longer happens, use used to + base verb, not "get used to".

Mistake 6: Using a plural verb with the noun after "get used to"

❌ She got used to her new colleagues are friendly.
✅ She got used to her new colleagues being friendly.

If you want to describe how something or someone behaves, use a noun/pronoun followed by verb-ing.

Get Used to Doing Something: Quick Summary

Here are the key points to remember about get used to doing something:

• Get used to doing something describes the process of becoming familiar or comfortable with something that was previously new, difficult, or strange.
• The structure is: Subject + get (in any tense) + used to + verb-ing / noun.
• After "used to" in this phrase, always use a gerund (verb-ing) or a noun — never a base infinitive.
• Get used to doing (process) is different from be used to doing (already comfortable — a state).
• Both are completely different from used to do, which describes a past habit or situation that no longer exists.
• You can use get used to in any tense, in negative forms, and in questions by changing the form of get.

Key Point	Example
Process of adapting	I am getting used to waking up early.
Completed adaptation	I am used to waking up early now.
Past habit (no longer true)	I used to sleep until noon.
Negative form	I can't get used to eating so late.
Question form	Have you got used to your new job?

Now practise get used to doing something in the exercises below.