I didn't/didn't use to respect other's opinions.

[Ashraful Haque]

I was talking about the time when I was young and stupid (not that I'm not anymore). I said:
1) "I didn't respect other's opinions."

I wonder if I should've said:
2) "I didn't use to respect other's opinions?"

To me it seems like 1 talks about a single incident and 2 talks about a certain period of time. Please correct me if I'm mistaken.

 

[GoesStation]

You're mistaken.

The lack of respect occurred during a time frame you'd established in the conversation. Had you begun the conversation with a statement about your comportment in those days, sentence two would have been the only choice (unless you added something to number one: I didn't respect other people's opinions when I was younger.)

 

[teechar]

other's opinions."

The position of the apostrophe is wrong. It should be after the "s" because you are referring to more than one person. However, you can instead use "other people's" as suggested by GoesStation above.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I was talking about [STRIKE]the time[/STRIKE] when I was young and stupid (not that I'm not anymore). I said:
1) "I didn't respect other's opinions."

I wonder if I should've said:
2) "I didn't use to respect other's opinions"?

To me it seems like 1 talks about a single incident and 2 talks about a certain period of time. Please correct me if I'm mistaken.

No, they're both simple past.

Number 2 makes it slightly clearer that you do respect them now.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

No, they're both simple past.

Number 2 makes it slightly clearer that you do respect them now.

Can you please tell me what's wrong with 'I was talking about the time?'

I'm still not clear about the difference between 'I didn't' and 'I didn't used to.' :-?

 

[Ashraful Haque]

You're mistaken.

The lack of respect occurred during a time frame you'd established in the conversation. Had you begun the conversation with a statement about your comportment in those days, sentence two would have been the only choice (unless you added something to number one: I didn't respect other people's opinions when I was younger.)

So what you're saying is that if I mention the period of time I need to use 'didn't use to?' For example:
1) "Everything used to be difficult for me when I was living with my narcissistic parents."

How about this one. Is it wrong?
"Everything was difficult for me when I was living with my narcissistic parents."

 

[emsr2d2]

How about this one. Is it wrong?
"Everything was difficult for me when I was living with my narcissistic parents."

There's nothing wrong with that at all. In fact, I find it much more natural than the version with "used to be".

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Can you please tell me what's wrong with 'I was talking about the time?'

Nothing.

I'm still not clear about the difference between 'I didn't' and 'I didn't used to.' :-?

Not much. One is a little more focused on the past and therefore suggests more strongly that now you do.

I think I just repeated myself. It's the best I can do.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

Can you please tell me what's wrong with 'I was talking about the time?'

Nothing.

Could you please tell me why you put a marked 'time time' as wrong then?

 

[Ashraful Haque]

6. I used to be frightened of spiders (when I was a child).
7. Peter didn't use to like garlic (at some unspecified time in the past), but he loves it now.
8. [STRIKE]I used to see Mary last week[/STRIKE].

Thank you so much for the detailed answer. What if I change 6 and 7 to:
6) I was frighted of spider when I was a child. (I'm guessing removing 'when I was a child' makes the sentence wrong?)
7) Peter didn't like garlic, but he loves it now. (This should be wrong since no time is mentioned?)

 

[emsr2d2]

6) I was frightened of spiders when I was a child.
7) Peter didn't like garlic no comma required here but he loves it now.

See above.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

I went through the entire post once again and now I think I am pretty dumb cause I got even more confused. I'll try my original sentences:
1) "I didn't respect other's opinions."
According to what I understand adding 'when I was a young' makes the sentence correct. And it would also be correct if I was already talking about my childhood and said this for example- "I was pretty dumb when I was younger. I didn't respect others' opinions or anything."


2) "I didn't use to respect other's opinions?"
This one's correct since it's clear that there was a time when I didn't respect others' opinions but now I do.

 

[Rover_KE]

1) "I didn't respect others' opinions."

2) "I didn't use to respect others' opinions?"

:roll:

 

[Ashraful Haque]

:roll:

My bad. I copied and pasted them.

 

[jutfrank]

1) "I didn't respect other's opinions."
According to what I understand adding 'when I was a young' makes the sentence correct. And it would also be correct if I was already talking about my childhood and said this for example- "I was pretty dumb when I was younger. I didn't respect others' opinions or anything."


2) "I didn't use to respect other's opinions?"
This one's correct since it's clear that there was a time when I didn't respect others' opinions but now I do.

Yes, that's all right. You've understood.

Remember what teechar said about the apostrophe back in post #3, and lose the stray question mark at the end of the second sentence.