| Let's look at the sentence pattern. |
| Do you remember the focus sentence from the dialogue? |
| Because we have installed energy-saving light bulbs in all of our facilities, we use far less energy than we used to. |
| This sentence follows the pattern here. |
| This pattern is the structure that all of our examples will follow. |
| [Present tense clause] + than [pronoun] used to |
| [Present tense clause] + as [adverb/quantifier] as [pronoun] used to |
| This sentence pattern is used to talk about changes or improvements compared to the past. It’s especially useful when highlighting positive developments in a company, showing how things are now better, more efficient, or more responsible than they were before. |
| Let’s go part by part. |
| The present tense clause describes what is true or happening now — it reflects the current situation or performance. |
| The second part compares this present situation to the past. |
| When using “than [pronoun] used to”, the speaker is saying that something has decreased or improved compared to before. |
| When using “as [adverb/quantifier] as [pronoun] used to”, the speaker is showing whether the current level matches or differs from what it once was. |
| Let’s see how the line from the dialogue follows this pattern. |
| “Because we have installed energy-saving light bulbs in all of our facilities, we use far less energy than we used to.” |
| The present tense clause is “we use far less energy” — this describes the company’s current energy usage. |
| The second part — “than we used to” — compares the present situation with the past. It shows that the company used more energy before, but now the amount is much lower. |
| So the full sentence follows the pattern: |
| Present tense clause (“we use far less energy”) + than + pronoun + used to (“than we used to”) |
| This structure is useful when describing positive progress over time, especially when showing specific actions the company has taken to improve its operations. |
| Now let's look at some speaking examples. |
| These days, I save a lot more money than I used to. |
| Can you see how the pattern applies here? |
| The present tense clause is “I save a lot more money.” This is followed by the comparison “than I used to,” which refers to a past habit or routine. The sentence highlights improvement over time using the than + used to structure. |
| Next… |
| I attend more meetings than I used to. |
| This sentence starts with the present tense clause “I attend more meetings,” and compares it to the past with “than I used to.” It follows the same pattern and emphasizes a recent increase in activity or responsibility. |
| Let’s try one more, |
| Since having kids, I don’t go out as often as I used to. |
| Here, the present tense clause is “I don’t go out” and it’s compared to the past with “as I used to.” The adverb “often” completes the comparison structure: as [adverb] as [pronoun] used to. This sentence shows a decrease in activity compared to before. |
| Another one. |
| I don’t travel as much as I used to. |
| This uses the present clause “I don’t travel,” and compares it with the past: “as much as I used to.” The word “much” functions as a quantifier here. It fits the second pattern, showing reduced travel compared to earlier habits. |
| One last example. |
| Because of cloud-based services, I use the copy machine less than I used to. |
| The main clause is “I use the copy machine less,” and the comparison is “than I used to.” It follows the first pattern and emphasizes improvement or efficiency due to newer technology. |
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