Hello, as I am a Chinese from Hong Kong, I'm wondering the correct way of using the substitute 'do'. For example, if I were asked:
Do you smoke?
Shall I answer to it by saying
A) I used to
B) I used to do
C) I used to do so
D) I used to do it
E) I used to do that
According to what Ronald Carter et al said in their grammar book 'English grammar today' option B seems to be wrong while others are fine. This is because we can't use 'do' alone if the substitute verb is in to-infinitive form.
Can anyone share your opinions?
Many thanks in advance
Correct use of substitute 'do'?
2012-05-25 2:50 pm
回答 (2)
2012-05-25 3:10 pm
✔ 最佳答案
Answer A) would be the most correct, but yes, B) is the only answer that doesn't really work. In a case like this, if you're unsure of how to substitute "do" (or if you should at all), it might be easier to simply use the verb in question and say "I used to smoke," which works just as well as options C, D, or E (though A still works best). 
2012-05-25 10:31 pm
"This is because we can't use 'do' alone if the substitute verb is in to-infinitive form."
This seems incorrect. Consider "Do you smoke?" "It's something I used to do." That's perfectly good English. I don't know if there's a good reason "Do you smoke?" "I used to do" is considered wrong, other than the fact that we just don't say it that way.
This seems incorrect. Consider "Do you smoke?" "It's something I used to do." That's perfectly good English. I don't know if there's a good reason "Do you smoke?" "I used to do" is considered wrong, other than the fact that we just don't say it that way.
收錄日期: 2021-04-30 23:39:21
原文連結 [永久失效]:
https://hk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120525065020AAet5Xf