used to lecture

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "used to lecture" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a past habit or regular activity of giving lectures or teaching. Example: "She used to lecture on modern literature at the university before retiring."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

Lenin used to lecture in the Stepney street where I have lived for 20 years, and Stalin briefly lived there.

The Guardian

Another, Victor Fung, is an outspoken Hong Kong tycoon and financier who used to lecture at Harvard Business School.

The Economist

Someone once told me that when they used to lecture in a women's college in America in the 50s, his words were barely audible over all the knitting.

The Guardian - Film

"What I miss is, when I used to lecture without PowerPoint, every now and then I'd get a cool idea," he went on.

The New Yorker

A former member of Al Qaeda says of Fadl, "He used to lecture for four or five hours at a time.

The New Yorker

My new boss is Spanish and is glad that I am studying at the school at which, coincidentally, he used to lecture.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

Race, gender, religion and sexual orientation are such difficult discussions to have, and many of us don't get it right, but my problem with some white liberals aren't that they sometimes get it wrong, it's their profound lack of self-awareness coupled with the smugness and self-righteousness that they use to lecture to others.

Huffington Post

One of the challenges of having a generation of faculty used to lecturing is that many professors don't have the skillset of coaching that young people relate to.

Huffington Post

"There's gonna be these guys who are used to lectures going, 'Huh?' " In September, the idea is to open the next wave of Assemblies and not just a handful; they plan to push out 100 chapters more or less simultaneously.

Vice

Indeed, they used to happily lecture the world on what should be done.

The New York Times

"Relationships are important, because the poor are used to being lectured to or yelled at," Counts said.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing someone who no longer lectures but did so regularly in the past, "used to lecture" is more appropriate than "lectured", which can imply they still do.

Common error

Avoid mixing past and present tenses when describing the lecturing activity. For example, don't say "He used to lecture and currently teaches" as this is redundant. Instead, say "He used to lecture, but now he teaches" or "He lectured and still teaches."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "used to lecture" functions as a verb phrase indicating a past habitual action. According to Ludwig, it describes an activity that occurred regularly in the past but is no longer ongoing. The examples show its use in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

23%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "used to lecture" is a commonly used phrase that accurately describes a past habitual action of giving lectures. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and appears across various contexts, from news media to scientific publications. When writing, remember to use it to clearly indicate an activity that occurred regularly in the past but is no longer ongoing. Avoid mixing tenses and be mindful of the specific context when choosing alternatives like "formerly lectured" or "taught previously".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lectured in the past

Focuses on the action of lecturing at some point in the past.

formerly lectured

Emphasizes the past status or position of being a lecturer.

taught previously

Highlights the act of teaching rather than specifically lecturing.

gave lectures regularly

Indicates a habitual action of giving lectures.

was a lecturer

Simply states the past profession or role.

held lectures

Highlights the action of holding or presenting lectures.

conducted lectures

Focuses on the act of conducting or organizing lectures.

used to give talks

Emphasizes the general action of giving talks, not necessarily lectures.

once lectured

Indicates a single or limited number of instances of lecturing.

previously gave lessons

Focuses on giving lessons instead of lectures, which is a slightly different context.

FAQs

How can I use "used to lecture" in a sentence?

You can use "used to lecture" to describe someone's past activity of giving lectures, as in "She "used to lecture" at the university before retiring".

What are some alternatives to "used to lecture"?

Some alternatives include "formerly lectured", "lectured in the past", or "taught previously". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "use to lecture" instead of "used to lecture"?

No, "use to lecture" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is ""used to lecture"", which indicates a past habit or state.

What's the difference between "used to lecture" and "lectured"?

"Used to lecture" implies a past habit or activity that is no longer current, while "lectured" simply states that the person gave a lecture at some point, without indicating whether they still do.