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Part 2 · Episode 10 B1-B2

I’m Used to Hard Work

📐 be/get used to vs used to

Ellis Island immigrants · 1900s: Ellis Island immigrant stories 📖 7 min read

Episode 10: I’m Used to Hard Work

be/get used to vs used to — Ellis Island, 1900s (B1-B2)

Grammar Box

Meaning: “Be used to” means be accustomed to (present state), “get used to” means become accustomed to (process), and “used to” describes past habits that no longer exist.

Form: be used to + noun/-ing; get used to + noun/-ing; used to + base verb

Example 1: “I’m used to working long hours.” (accustomed now, comfortable with it)

Example 2: “I used to work in a factory.” (past habit, not anymore)

Common mistake: Wrong: “I’m used to work here.” Better: “I’m used to working here.” (be/get used to takes noun or -ing)

The Challenge

Luna started her new job and found the long commute exhausting. “I used to wake up late,” she complained to Professor Wisdom. “But that’s not quite right, is it?” he asked gently. “Do you mean you had that habit in the past, or are you talking about adjusting to your new routine?” Luna paused, realizing these were different concepts entirely. The watch glowed with a warm, steady light, and they found themselves on a crowded island where millions learned the difference between what they used to do and what they had to get used to.

The Journey

At Ellis Island in the early 1900s, immigrants from across Europe stood in long processing lines, their faces showing a mixture of hope, exhaustion, and determination. These people had left behind everything familiar, and now they faced the challenge of adapting to a completely new world. A young woman from Poland, clutching a small bundle of possessions, spoke with a translator about her experience.

“In my village,” she explained in halting English, “I used to wake up before sunrise to milk the cows. I used to walk three miles to the market every Saturday. I used to speak only Polish, never English.” Her voice carried the weight of a past that felt both recent and impossibly distant. Those habits and routines had defined her life for twenty years, but now they existed only in memory.

“And now?” the translator asked kindly. The woman straightened her shoulders, showing the resilience that had brought her across the Atlantic. “Now I’m getting used to city noise instead of roosters crowing. I’m getting used to taking the subway instead of walking country roads. It’s hard, but every day it becomes a little easier.” Her words captured the active process of adaptation, the daily effort of making the unfamiliar feel normal.

Beside her, an Italian man with calloused hands added his own story. “I’m used to hard work,” he said with quiet pride. “In Italy, I worked in the fields from age six. Here in New York, I work in construction. The work is different, but I’m used to working twelve-hour days. That part doesn’t scare me.” His statement wasn’t about past habits but present capacity—he was describing what he could handle now because experience had prepared him.

The smell of the harbor mixed with cooking from dozens of different cultures, as families from different countries tried to preserve pieces of their old lives while adapting to their new reality. An elderly Jewish man explained to his grandson, “You’ll get used to America eventually. Your grandmother and I are getting used to it slowly. But we used to have a big house in Russia. We used to celebrate holidays with fifty family members. Those days are gone, but we’re learning to build new traditions here.”

The immigration officials watched these scenes repeat thousands of times, each family navigating the complex grammar of change: what they used to do, what they were used to enduring, and what they were still getting used to in this bewildering new world.

The Deep Dive

These three structures look similar but serve completely different purposes. “Used to + base verb” describes past habits that no longer exist: “I used to smoke” means I smoked before but don’t now. “Be used to + noun/-ing” describes current comfort with something: “I’m used to smoking” means smoking doesn’t bother me anymore (though this example is unusual). “Get used to + noun/-ing” describes the process of becoming accustomed: “I’m getting used to the cold” means I’m still adapting but it’s becoming easier.

The key distinction is time and state versus process. “Used to” is purely about the past and always contrasts with the present. “Be used to” describes your current state of comfort or familiarity. “Get used to” describes the transition from unfamiliar to familiar. You can say “I used to live in Paris” (past fact), “I’m used to city life” (current comfort), and “I’m getting used to the noise” (ongoing adaptation)—three different concepts despite similar forms.

Common errors include mixing up the forms: never say “I’m used to work” (needs working), never say “I used to working” (needs work), and never say “I get used to wake up early” (needs waking). Also, “be used to” and “get used to” can take noun objects: “I’m used to cold weather,” “I’m getting used to the new system.” But “used to” always takes a base verb and always refers to the past.

More Examples

History: “Churchill used to paint for relaxation, and he was used to working under pressure throughout his career.” (past habit vs current capacity)

Science: “Astronauts used to train differently, but now they’re used to zero gravity simulations and are getting used to longer missions.” (all three forms together)

Everyday: “I’m getting used to my new apartment—I used to live in a house, but I’m used to small spaces from college.” (adaptation, past, current state)

Formal: “The company used to operate locally, but management is now used to global operations and getting used to virtual meetings.” (evolution described)

Informal: “I can’t get used to this weather! I used to love summer, but I’m not used to this humidity.” (frustration about adaptation)

Contrast: “I’m used to working late” (comfortable with it now) vs “I used to work late” (did it before, not anymore) vs “I’m getting used to working late” (still adapting)

Practice & Reflection

Exercises:

  1. Fill in the blank: When I moved to Canada, I had to __ (get used to) the cold winters.

  2. Correct the mistake: “I’m used to wake up at 6 AM every day.”

  3. Choose and explain: Which describes a past habit that no longer exists?
    a) “I’m used to living alone.”
    b) “I used to live alone.”

  4. Rewrite: Change to show current comfort: “I had to adapt to the noise when I moved here.”

  5. Compare: Explain all three: “I used to drink coffee. I’m used to drinking tea now. I’m getting used to the taste.”

  6. Your reflection: Write about something you used to do, something you’re used to now, and something you’re getting used to. Use all three forms.

Answer Key:
1. get used to (describes the process of adaptation to cold)
2. I’m used to waking up at 6 AM (be/get used to takes -ing form, not base verb)
3. (b) — “used to” shows past habit no longer true; (a) shows current comfort
4. Now I’m used to the noise / I’ve gotten used to the noise (shows current comfort)
5. Past habit (stopped), current state (comfortable with tea), ongoing process (still adapting)
6. Check: Does “used to” describe past? “Be used to” describe current state? “Get used to” describe adapting?

The Lesson

Back in her apartment after the long commute, Luna smiled with new clarity. “I used to have short commutes in my old job,” she told Professor Wisdom. “I’m getting used to this longer one, and soon I’ll be used to it completely.” The Professor nodded warmly. “Exactly. The Ellis Island immigrants understood these distinctions deeply. They used to live one way, they were getting used to a new way, and eventually they became used to their new lives. Your grammar now captures not just change, but the emotional journey of adaptation—from what was, through the struggle of becoming, to what finally is.”