Question:
Could u help me with an english-german-grammar problem? (an example
from a book):
"Henry is used to getting up early"
Why is it "getting" - not "used to get up"? Or has it another meaning?
When do u use "used to + Inf+ing"?
Answer:
You are confusing two similar but different constructions. The
construction "used to [verb]" indicates a habitual action that occurred
regularly in the past: "I used to eat meat, but now I'm a vegetarian."
The construciton "used to [noun]" means "accustomed to": "I have lived
in Alaska for many years, so I am used to long, cold winters."
The gerund form "getting" is used, because the construction "used to"
(meaning "accustomed to") needs a noun as the object of the
preposition "to". The gerund is the form of the verb which behaves
syntactically as a noun.
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