Used to or Simple past

[nouamaneer]

Dear all,

Which one of these is correct?

1 Did you use to invent things when you were young?
2 Did you invent things when you were young?

Thanks for your help.

[5jj]

They are both fine.

[engr.yasir ali bhatti]

2nd is ok

[bhaisahab]

2nd is ok

As fivejedjon said, both are fine.

[nouamaneer]

They are both fine.

Yeah, both are grammatically well-formed. Yet, there is a nuance in meaning. Especially in what the speaker possess of information on the interviewee.

In the used to example: the speaker either knows that the interviewee invented things and no more now and vice versa.

But in the 2nd case of the simple past: the speaker doesn't know anything on the speaaker's inventing anything at all. It's just a question with no prior background to it.

Am I right?

[nouamaneer]

and another reference says that in question the simple past is prefered instead of the Used to form. Basically, I believe because of that shared background knowledge I talked about earlier.

Not to forget to mention that Used to adds a contrast to the presnt time that the simple past doesn't refer to.

Example:

I used to smoke when I was young. (but now i don't)

I smoked when I was young. (Nothing is emphasised in this example. just a statement of a past habit)

[bhaisahab]

and another reference says that in question the simple past is prefered instead of the Used to form. Basically, I believe because of that shared background knowledge I talked about earlier.

Not to forget to mention that Used to adds a contrast to the presnt time that the simple past doesn't refer to.

Example:

I used to smoke when I was young. (but now I don't)

I smoked when I was young. (Nothing is emphasised in this example. just a statement of a past habit)

Alternative:
"I used to smoke when I was young" (I stopped, then I started again when I was older)
"I smoked when I was young" (I don't now because I've realised how stupid it is)

[5jj]

I used to smoke when I was young. (but now i don't)

I smoked when I was young. (Nothing is emphasised in this example. just a statement of a past habit)

You are correct. However, bhasahabi's alternatives are also possible.

This reinforces a point that we make often in these forums: Context is important. Many things that we say and write can be interpreted in different ways if we look at them in isolation. In context, the meaniing is usually clear.