USED TO with different forms of infinitive

Question

Is it possible to use different forms of infinitive with "USED TO"?

1 I used to have finished my work by the time she came home.

or should it be

I used to have finished my work by the time she come home.

2 I used to be reading a newspaper when she came home.

Your sentences are grammatical, but it would be more natural to use would instead of used to in this kind of context. — Kate Bunting, Apr 24 '21 at 07:59
James K I meant this "by the time she come home" = "by the time she used to come home". Possible? — user1425, Apr 24 '21 at 08:03
1 and 2 are OK. But your suggested alternant is ungrammatical. Past tense "came" is required here, not "come". — BillJ, Apr 24 '21 at 08:33
@KateBunting Unless you're huffy about the fact you have more work now, so can't get it finished before she's back any more! — BeginTheBeguine, Apr 24 '21 at 15:40

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 24 '21 at 08:57

These sentences are grammatical:

I used to have finished my work by the time she came home.

I used to be reading a newspaper by the time she came home.

Your alternant, however, is not grammatical:

I used to be reading a newspaper when she come home ^{UNGRAMMATICAL}

You cannot use "when she come home" to mean "when she used to come home". That's because "when" is not a conjunction.

Now compare that to this sentence:

She used to come home and wash her clothes.

This is grammatical. It is similar to "She used to come home and she used to wash her clothes".

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 24 '21 at 13:19

1

I used to have finished my work by the time she came home

Whether or not this sentence is grammatical correct or arguably not, you would not normally talk this way. In your second example you have used the terminology that is normally used but mixed up the use of the tense of come latter in that sentence.

"I used to be finished my work by the time she came home" or "I would be finished my work by the time she came home".

"I used to be reading a newspaper by the time she came home" or "I would be reading a newspaper by the time she came home"

used to; verb; shows that a particular thing always happened or was true in the past, especially if it no longer happens or is no longer true:

be verb (DESCRIPTION); used to say something about a person, thing, or state

Have as a main verb; Events, actions, experiences and activities

All Ref CED

answered Apr 24 '21 at 13:19

Brad

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Is it OK to say "I am finished my work"? – user1425 Apr 24 '21 at 13:22
1

@user1425 no, "*be finished my work" is missing the word "with": "I am finished with my work". – Dan Getz Apr 24 '21 at 22:41
The use of I am finished my work/homework etc is used in some dialects. I would consider it to be non standard English. The sentence "I am finished with my work" would imply that you no longer want to do that work or be employed to do that sort of work. "I have finished my work" is the normal phrase relating to the fact that your task is completed. – Brad Apr 26 '21 at 03:49

USED TO with different forms of infinitive

2 Answers2