accustomed to

Many learners write "accustom to" when they mean "accustomed to," or they use an infinitive after "accustomed to" instead of a gerund. Those small slips make sentences awkward or change the meaning.

Quick answer

"Accustomed to" is an adjective phrase that takes a noun or a gerund (verb+ing). "Accustom" is a verb that usually needs a direct object, then "to + noun/gerund."

"I am accustomed to waking up early." (adjective + gerund)
"I need to accustom the team to the new process." (verb + object + to + noun/gerund)
Avoid "accustomed to + infinitive" (for example, "accustomed to get").

Core explanation: adjective phrase vs. verb

"Accustomed to" describes a state: familiarity or habit. It must be followed by a noun or a gerund: "accustomed to silence," "accustomed to driving."

"Accustom" is an action verb: it means to make someone used to something. It needs an object: "accustom someone to something." Writing "I accustom to..." usually omits the object or confuses the adjective form with the verb.

Adjective pattern: subject + be + accustomed to + noun/gerund
Verb pattern: accustom + object + to + noun/gerund

Wrong: I need to accustom to the new schedule.
Right: I need to get accustomed to the new schedule.
Wrong: He accustoms to noise.
Right: He is accustomed to noise.

Grammar details: what follows "accustomed to"

Here "to" is a preposition, so it takes a noun phrase or a gerund, not an infinitive. Use "accustomed to + -ing" or "accustomed to + noun."

If you need an infinitive (to + base verb), choose a different structure: verbs like "want" or "need" take infinitives, but "accustomed to" does not.

"accustomed to + -ing" (correct)
"accustomed to + noun" (correct)
"accustomed to + infinitive" (incorrect)

Wrong: I'm accustomed to get up early.
Right: I'm accustomed to getting up early.
Wrong: They're accustomed to take notes in class.
Right: They're accustomed to taking notes in class.

Real usage and tone

"Accustomed to" is neutral and fine in formal writing. In casual speech, people usually say "get used to" or "used to" depending on meaning.

"Accustom" as a verb sounds more formal and appears where someone actively helps others adapt: "accustom new staff to a process." In everyday conversation you'd usually say "help someone get used to it."

Formal: "She is well accustomed to complex projects."
Informal: "I'm getting used to the new hours."
Managerial: "Please accustom the interns to our safety procedures."

Work: I'm still getting accustomed to the company's ticketing system.
Work: Please accustom the new hires to our quality checklist before their first shift.
Work: She's accustomed to leading cross-functional meetings.
School: I'm accustomed to studying late before exams.
School: The teacher accustoms students to lab safety before experiments.
School: They're accustomed to group projects by now.
Casual: I'm getting accustomed to living alone - it took a little time.
Casual: He's accustomed to spicy food, so he ate it easily.
Casual: Instead of "I accustom to," say "I'm getting used to it."

Common wrong forms and fixes

Three frequent errors: dropping the object after "accustom," using an infinitive after "accustomed to," and using the wrong preposition ("with" instead of "to"). A quick role check-state or action-usually reveals the correct form.

"accustom to" - often missing object; add an object or use "get accustomed to"
"accustomed with" - wrong preposition; use "to"
"accustomed to + infinitive" - change the infinitive to a gerund

Wrong: She is accustomed with the new interface.
Right: She is accustomed to the new interface.
Wrong: I accustom to heavy lifting after a month.
Right: I will accustom myself to heavy lifting after a month. Better: I will get accustomed to heavy lifting after a month.

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence, not just the phrase. Context usually makes the right construction clear.

Rewrite help: three patterns you can use now

Pattern A (state): subject + be + accustomed to + noun/gerund - use this to describe someone's familiarity.

Pattern B (action): accustom + object + to + noun/gerund - use this when someone causes another to adapt. Alternative: get/become + accustomed to + noun/gerund.

A: I am accustomed to + doing - "I am accustomed to commuting by train."
B: Accustom someone to + doing - "The trainer accustoms new drivers to defensive maneuvers."
Alternative: get/become accustomed to + doing - "She is becoming accustomed to the new role."

Wrong: I need to accustom to the new hours.
Rewrite: I need to get accustomed to the new hours.
Wrong: They accustom to long flights easily.
Rewrite: They are accustomed to long flights.
Wrong: Please accustom to the new software.
Rewrite: Please accustom the team to the new software, or: Please help the team get accustomed to the new software.

Fix your own sentence: step-by-step checklist

1) Find "accustom/accustomed" in your sentence. 2) Decide: state (be + accustomed) or action (accustom someone)? 3) For a state, follow with a noun or -ing. 4) For an action, add the object. Read the sentence aloud to catch awkwardness.

State? Use: be + accustomed to + noun/gerund
Action? Use: accustom + object + to + noun/gerund
If unsure, use: get/become accustomed to + -ing

Wrong: I accustom to driving on the left.
Rewrite: I need to get accustomed to driving on the left.
Wrong: Trainer accustoms to safety rules.
Rewrite: The trainer accustoms trainees to the safety rules.
Wrong: Students are accustomed to do homework nightly.
Right: Students are accustomed to doing homework nightly.

Memory tricks and quick practice

Mnemonic: "Accustomed = accustomed to (thing/doing). Accustom = accustom somebody to (thing/doing)." Think: extra syllable in "accustomed" = a state; shorter "accustom" = an action.

Practice: convert five wrong sentences daily-change infinitives after "accustomed to" into gerunds, add missing objects after "accustom," and swap "with" to "to" when paired with "accustomed."

Drill: "accustomed to do" → "accustomed to doing" (repeat 10 times)
Drill: "accustom to" → add object or use "get accustomed to"
Tip: read corrected sentences aloud to check naturalness

Practice: Wrong - "She accustomed to long shifts." Right - "She is accustomed to long shifts."
Practice: Wrong - "Accustom to change is hard." Right - "Becoming accustomed to change is hard."

Similar mistakes, spacing and hyphenation

Watch "used to" (past habit) versus "be accustomed to" (current state). Also avoid "accustomed with" and "accustom" without an object. Spacing and hyphenation are straightforward: write the phrases as separate words, not hyphenated.

"used to" = past habit (I used to run every morning)
"be accustomed to" = present state (I am accustomed to running every morning)
Write "accustomed to," not "accustomed-to"

Wrong: He accustomed with cold weather.
Right: He is accustomed to cold weather.
Wrong: I didn't used to like coffee.
Right: I didn't use to like coffee. (Prescriptive form: "didn't use to")

FAQ

Can I say "accustom to" on its own?

No. "Accustom" is a verb that normally needs a direct object: "to accustom someone to something." For a state, use "be/get accustomed to + noun/gerund."

Is "accustomed with" correct?

No. Use the preposition "to": "accustomed to." "Accustomed with" is a common learner error.

Should I use the gerund or the infinitive after "accustomed to"?

Use the gerund (verb+ing). Example: "accustomed to waking up early," not "accustomed to wake up early."

What's the difference between "used to" and "accustomed to"?

"Used to" often refers to past habits (I used to live there). "Be accustomed to" describes a present state or familiarity (I am accustomed to the cold). They can overlap conversationally but are not interchangeable in grammar.

How do I fix "I need to accustom to the new schedule"?

Add an object for the verb ("I need to accustom myself to the new schedule") or use the common phrasing: "I need to get accustomed to the new schedule."

Soft call to action

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