[Grammar] Don't or didn't in this sentence.

[Joe333]

Sentence: "I don't/didn't used to support any kind of violence..."


My question/ doubt: What word would be appropriate in this sentence if it were to be said in past tense: "don't used to" or "didn't used to" ?



Thanks

 

[bhaisahab]

Sentence: "I don't/didn't used to support any kind of violence..."


My question/ doubt: What word would be appropriate in this sentence if it were to be said in past tense: "don't used to" or "didn't used to" ?



Thanks

"I didn't use to" or "I used not to".

 

[Raymott]

Sentence: "I don't/didn't used to support any kind of violence..."


My question/ doubt: What word would be appropriate in this sentence if it were to be said in past tense: "don't used to" or "didn't used to" ?



Thanks

In AusE, this would be phrased: I never used to support ...
bhaisahab would probably disagree with that usage, but Americans would probably support it (as perhaps would more Britons than bhai would like to admit).
Generally, 'never' should be used with the present perfect, not the simple past which is the case here. So, it's a special case.

 

[kfredson]

In AusE, this would be phrased: I never used to support ...
bhaisahab would probably disagree with that usage, but Americans would probably support it (as perhaps would more Britons than bhai would like to admit).
Generally, 'never' should be used with the present perfect, not the simple past which is the case here. So, it's a special case.

Yes, "I never used to support..." is a very workable sentence (in the US as well as in AusE) but it changes the meaning somewhat.

How do we form the opposite of "I used to support..."?
I am not quite sure, but it seems awkward to say "I didn't used to support..."

I would reshape it entirely to say, "I didn't support it before but I do now."

 

[philo2009]

How do we form the opposite of "I used to support..."?
I am not quite sure, but it seems awkward to say "I didn't used to support..."

Not merely awkward, but, as recently discussed at length in this forum, a downright solecism (albeit a depressingly widespread one!).

The only form of a verb that can occur after auxiliary 'do' is the infinitive, hence did not/ didn't use to.

 

[corum]

Sentence: "I don't/didn't used to support any kind of violence..."

CGEL. by Quirk et al., 3.44., p140.:

did ... used to is often regarded as nonstandard.

often = ?

 

[Barb_D]

By the way, if it's said out loud, you have no idea if it the D is there or not because "use to" and "used to" will sound the same.

 

[philo2009]

CGEL. by Quirk et al., 3.44., p140.:



often = ?

ALWAYS by a careful user!

 

[philo2009]

By the way, if it's said out loud, you have no idea if it the D is there or not because "use to" and "used to" will sound the same.

Yes, hence the rapid spread of this ridiculous solecism!