diff --git a/src/Init/Grind/Tactics.lean b/src/Init/Grind/Tactics.lean
index f53b5d81bc..bd339f4a98 100644
--- a/src/Init/Grind/Tactics.lean
+++ b/src/Init/Grind/Tactics.lean
@@ -14,10 +14,11 @@ syntax grindEqRhs  := atomic("=" "_")
 syntax grindEqBwd  := atomic("←" "=")
 syntax grindBwd    := "←"
 syntax grindFwd    := "→"
+syntax grindUsr    := &"usr"
 syntax grindCases  := &"cases"
 syntax grindCasesEager := atomic(&"cases" &"eager")
 
-syntax grindMod := grindEqBoth <|> grindEqRhs <|> grindEq <|> grindEqBwd <|> grindBwd <|> grindFwd <|> grindCasesEager <|> grindCases
+syntax grindMod := grindEqBoth <|> grindEqRhs <|> grindEq <|> grindEqBwd <|> grindBwd <|> grindFwd <|> grindUsr <|> grindCasesEager <|> grindCases
 
 syntax (name := grind) "grind" (grindMod)? : attr
 
@@ -75,4 +76,10 @@ syntax (name := grind)
   (" [" withoutPosition(grindParam,*) "]")?
   ("on_failure " term)? : tactic
 
+
+syntax (name := grindTrace)
+  "grind?" optConfig (&" only")?
+  (" [" withoutPosition(grindParam,*) "]")?
+  ("on_failure " term)? : tactic
+
 end Lean.Parser.Tactic
diff --git a/src/Lean/Elab/Tactic/Grind.lean b/src/Lean/Elab/Tactic/Grind.lean
index db5483ac3f..fa1ce1d6de 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Elab/Tactic/Grind.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Elab/Tactic/Grind.lean
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def elabGrindPattern : CommandElab := fun stx => do
           let pattern ← instantiateMVars pattern
           let pattern ← Grind.preprocessPattern pattern
           return pattern.abstract xs
-        Grind.addEMatchTheorem declName xs.size patterns.toList
+        Grind.addEMatchTheorem declName xs.size patterns.toList .user
   | _ => throwUnsupportedSyntax
 
 open Command Term in
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def elabInitGrindNorm : CommandElab := fun stx =>
       Grind.registerNormTheorems pre post
   | _ => throwUnsupportedSyntax
 
-def elabGrindParams (params : Grind.Params) (ps :  TSyntaxArray ``Parser.Tactic.grindParam) : MetaM Grind.Params := do
+def elabGrindParams (params : Grind.Params) (ps :  TSyntaxArray ``Parser.Tactic.grindParam) (only : Bool) : MetaM Grind.Params := do
   let mut params := params
   for p in ps do
     match p with
@@ -59,6 +59,16 @@ def elabGrindParams (params : Grind.Params) (ps :  TSyntaxArray ``Parser.Tactic.
       let declName ← realizeGlobalConstNoOverloadWithInfo id
       let kind ← if let some mod := mod? then Grind.getAttrKindCore mod else pure .infer
       match kind with
+      | .ematch .user =>
+        unless only do
+          withRef p <| Grind.throwInvalidUsrModifier
+        let s ← Grind.getEMatchTheorems
+        let thms := s.find (.decl declName)
+        let thms := thms.filter fun thm => thm.kind == .user
+        if thms.isEmpty then
+          throwErrorAt p "invalid use of `usr` modifier, `{declName}` does not have patterns specified with the command `grind_pattern`"
+        for thm in thms do
+          params := { params with extra := params.extra.push thm }
       | .ematch kind =>
         params ← withRef p <| addEMatchTheorem params declName kind
       | .cases eager =>
@@ -97,7 +107,7 @@ def mkGrindParams (config : Grind.Config) (only : Bool) (ps :  TSyntaxArray ``Pa
   let ematch ← if only then pure {} else Grind.getEMatchTheorems
   let casesTypes ← if only then pure {} else Grind.getCasesTypes
   let params := { params with ematch, casesTypes }
-  elabGrindParams params ps
+  elabGrindParams params ps only
 
 def grind
     (mvarId : MVarId) (config : Grind.Config)
@@ -126,16 +136,32 @@ private def elabFallback (fallback? : Option Term) : TermElabM (Grind.GoalM Unit
     pure auxDeclName
   unsafe evalConst (Grind.GoalM Unit) auxDeclName
 
+private def evalGrindCore
+    (ref : Syntax)
+    (config : TSyntax `Lean.Parser.Tactic.optConfig)
+    (only : Option Syntax)
+    (params : Option (Syntax.TSepArray `Lean.Parser.Tactic.grindParam ","))
+    (fallback? : Option Term)
+    (_trace : Bool) -- TODO
+    : TacticM Unit := do
+  let fallback ← elabFallback fallback?
+  let only := only.isSome
+  let params := if let some params := params then params.getElems else #[]
+  logWarningAt ref "The `grind` tactic is experimental and still under development. Avoid using it in production projects"
+  let declName := (← Term.getDeclName?).getD `_grind
+  let config ← elabGrindConfig config
+  withMainContext do liftMetaFinishingTactic (grind · config only params declName fallback)
+
 @[builtin_tactic Lean.Parser.Tactic.grind] def evalGrind : Tactic := fun stx => do
   match stx with
   | `(tactic| grind $config:optConfig $[only%$only]?  $[ [$params:grindParam,*] ]? $[on_failure $fallback?]?) =>
-    let fallback ← elabFallback fallback?
-    let only := only.isSome
-    let params := if let some params := params then params.getElems else #[]
-    logWarningAt stx "The `grind` tactic is experimental and still under development. Avoid using it in production projects"
-    let declName := (← Term.getDeclName?).getD `_grind
-    let config ← elabGrindConfig config
-    withMainContext do liftMetaFinishingTactic (grind · config only params declName fallback)
+    evalGrindCore stx config only params fallback? false
+  | _ => throwUnsupportedSyntax
+
+@[builtin_tactic Lean.Parser.Tactic.grindTrace] def evalGrindTrace : Tactic := fun stx => do
+  match stx with
+  | `(tactic| grind? $config:optConfig $[only%$only]?  $[ [$params:grindParam,*] ]? $[on_failure $fallback?]?) =>
+    evalGrindCore stx config only params fallback? true
   | _ => throwUnsupportedSyntax
 
 end Lean.Elab.Tactic
diff --git a/src/Lean/Meta/Tactic/Grind/Attr.lean b/src/Lean/Meta/Tactic/Grind/Attr.lean
index 1da60408df..ee9f06501b 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Meta/Tactic/Grind/Attr.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Meta/Tactic/Grind/Attr.lean
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ def getAttrKindCore (stx : Syntax) : CoreM AttrKind := do
   | `(Parser.Attr.grindMod| =_) => return .ematch .eqRhs
   | `(Parser.Attr.grindMod| _=_) => return .ematch .eqBoth
   | `(Parser.Attr.grindMod| ←=) => return .ematch .eqBwd
+  | `(Parser.Attr.grindMod| usr) => return .ematch .user
   | `(Parser.Attr.grindMod| cases) => return .cases false
   | `(Parser.Attr.grindMod| cases eager) => return .cases true
   | _ => throwError "unexpected `grind` theorem kind: `{stx}`"
@@ -34,6 +35,9 @@ def getAttrKindFromOpt (stx : Syntax) : CoreM AttrKind := do
   else
     getAttrKindCore stx[1][0]
 
+def throwInvalidUsrModifier : CoreM α :=
+  throwError "the modifier `usr` is only relevant in parameters for `grind only`"
+
 builtin_initialize
   registerBuiltinAttribute {
     name := `grind
@@ -57,6 +61,7 @@ builtin_initialize
     applicationTime := .afterCompilation
     add := fun declName stx attrKind => MetaM.run' do
       match (← getAttrKindFromOpt stx) with
+      | .ematch .user => throwInvalidUsrModifier
       | .ematch k => addEMatchAttr declName attrKind k
       | .cases eager => addCasesAttr declName eager attrKind
       | .infer =>
diff --git a/src/Lean/Meta/Tactic/Grind/EMatchTheorem.lean b/src/Lean/Meta/Tactic/Grind/EMatchTheorem.lean
index 51611f66b6..de7334bd99 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Meta/Tactic/Grind/EMatchTheorem.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Meta/Tactic/Grind/EMatchTheorem.lean
@@ -92,6 +92,30 @@ instance : BEq Origin where
 instance : Hashable Origin where
   hash a := hash a.key
 
+inductive TheoremKind where
+  | eqLhs | eqRhs | eqBoth | eqBwd | fwd | bwd | default | user /- pattern specified using `grind_pattern` command -/
+  deriving Inhabited, BEq, Repr
+
+private def TheoremKind.toAttribute : TheoremKind → String
+  | .eqLhs   => "[grind =]"
+  | .eqRhs   => "[grind =_]"
+  | .eqBoth  => "[grind _=_]"
+  | .eqBwd   => "[grind ←=]"
+  | .fwd     => "[grind →]"
+  | .bwd     => "[grind ←]"
+  | .default => "[grind]"
+  | .user    => "[grind]"
+
+private def TheoremKind.explainFailure : TheoremKind → String
+  | .eqLhs   => "failed to find pattern in the left-hand side of the theorem's conclusion"
+  | .eqRhs   => "failed to find pattern in the right-hand side of the theorem's conclusion"
+  | .eqBoth  => unreachable! -- eqBoth is a macro
+  | .eqBwd   => "failed to use theorem's conclusion as a pattern"
+  | .fwd     => "failed to find patterns in the antecedents of the theorem"
+  | .bwd     => "failed to find patterns in the theorem's conclusion"
+  | .default => "failed to find patterns"
+  | .user    => unreachable!
+
 /-- A theorem for heuristic instantiation based on E-matching. -/
 structure EMatchTheorem where
   /--
@@ -106,16 +130,20 @@ structure EMatchTheorem where
   /-- Contains all symbols used in `pattterns`. -/
   symbols     : List HeadIndex
   origin      : Origin
+  /-- The `kind` is used for generating the `patterns`. We save it here to implement `grind?`. -/
+  kind        : TheoremKind
   deriving Inhabited
 
 /-- Set of E-matching theorems. -/
 structure EMatchTheorems where
   /-- The key is a symbol from `EMatchTheorem.symbols`. -/
-  private map : PHashMap Name (List EMatchTheorem) := {}
+  private smap : PHashMap Name (List EMatchTheorem) := {}
   /-- Set of theorem ids that have been inserted using `insert`. -/
   private origins : PHashSet Origin := {}
   /-- Theorems that have been marked as erased -/
   private erased  : PHashSet Origin := {}
+  /-- Mapping from origin to E-matching theorems associated with this origin. -/
+  private omap : PHashMap Origin (List EMatchTheorem) := {}
   deriving Inhabited
 
 /--
@@ -130,13 +158,19 @@ def EMatchTheorems.insert (s : EMatchTheorems) (thm : EMatchTheorem) : EMatchThe
   let .const declName :: syms := thm.symbols
     | unreachable!
   let thm := { thm with symbols := syms }
-  let { map, origins, erased } := s
-  let origins := origins.insert thm.origin
-  let erased := erased.erase thm.origin
-  if let some thms := map.find? declName then
-    return { map := map.insert declName (thm::thms), origins, erased }
+  let { smap, origins, erased, omap } := s
+  let origin := thm.origin
+  let origins := origins.insert origin
+  let erased := erased.erase origin
+  let smap := if let some thms := smap.find? declName then
+    smap.insert declName (thm::thms)
   else
-    return { map := map.insert declName [thm], origins, erased }
+    smap.insert declName [thm]
+  let omap := if let some thms := omap.find? origin then
+    omap.insert origin (thm::thms)
+  else
+    omap.insert origin [thm]
+  return { smap, origins, erased, omap }
 
 /-- Returns `true` if `s` contains a theorem with the given origin. -/
 def EMatchTheorems.contains (s : EMatchTheorems) (origin : Origin) : Bool :=
@@ -156,11 +190,20 @@ The theorems are removed from `s`.
 -/
 @[inline]
 def EMatchTheorems.retrieve? (s : EMatchTheorems) (sym : Name) : Option (List EMatchTheorem × EMatchTheorems) :=
-  if let some thms := s.map.find? sym then
-    some (thms, { s with map := s.map.erase sym })
+  if let some thms := s.smap.find? sym then
+    some (thms, { s with smap := s.smap.erase sym })
   else
     none
 
+/--
+Returns theorems associated with the given origin.
+-/
+def EMatchTheorems.find (s : EMatchTheorems) (origin : Origin) : List EMatchTheorem :=
+  if let some thms := s.omap.find? origin then
+    thms
+  else
+    []
+
 def EMatchTheorem.getProofWithFreshMVarLevels (thm : EMatchTheorem) : MetaM Expr := do
   if thm.proof.isConst && thm.levelParams.isEmpty then
     let declName := thm.proof.constName!
@@ -491,7 +534,7 @@ private def ppParamsAt (proof : Expr) (numParams : Nat) (paramPos : List Nat) :
 Creates an E-matching theorem for a theorem with proof `proof`, `numParams` parameters, and the given set of patterns.
 Pattern variables are represented using de Bruijn indices.
 -/
-def mkEMatchTheoremCore (origin : Origin) (levelParams : Array Name) (numParams : Nat) (proof : Expr) (patterns : List Expr) : MetaM EMatchTheorem := do
+def mkEMatchTheoremCore (origin : Origin) (levelParams : Array Name) (numParams : Nat) (proof : Expr) (patterns : List Expr) (kind : TheoremKind): MetaM EMatchTheorem := do
   let (patterns, symbols, bvarFound) ← NormalizePattern.main patterns
   if symbols.isEmpty then
     throwError "invalid pattern for `{← origin.pp}`{indentD (patterns.map ppPattern)}\nthe pattern does not contain constant symbols for indexing"
@@ -501,7 +544,7 @@ def mkEMatchTheoremCore (origin : Origin) (levelParams : Array Name) (numParams
      throwError "invalid pattern(s) for `{← origin.pp}`{indentD pats}\nthe following theorem parameters cannot be instantiated:{indentD (← ppParamsAt proof numParams pos)}"
   return {
     proof, patterns, numParams, symbols
-    levelParams, origin
+    levelParams, origin, kind
   }
 
 private def getProofFor (declName : Name) : CoreM Expr := do
@@ -514,8 +557,8 @@ private def getProofFor (declName : Name) : CoreM Expr := do
 Creates an E-matching theorem for `declName` with `numParams` parameters, and the given set of patterns.
 Pattern variables are represented using de Bruijn indices.
 -/
-def mkEMatchTheorem (declName : Name) (numParams : Nat) (patterns : List Expr) : MetaM EMatchTheorem := do
-  mkEMatchTheoremCore (.decl declName) #[] numParams (← getProofFor declName) patterns
+def mkEMatchTheorem (declName : Name) (numParams : Nat) (patterns : List Expr) (kind : TheoremKind) : MetaM EMatchTheorem := do
+  mkEMatchTheoremCore (.decl declName) #[] numParams (← getProofFor declName) patterns kind
 
 /--
 Given a theorem with proof `proof` and type of the form `∀ (a_1 ... a_n), lhs = rhs`,
@@ -535,15 +578,15 @@ def mkEMatchEqTheoremCore (origin : Origin) (levelParams : Array Name) (proof :
     trace[grind.debug.ematch.pattern] "mkEMatchEqTheoremCore: after preprocessing: {pat}, {← normalize pat}"
     let pats := splitWhileForbidden (pat.abstract xs)
     return (xs.size, pats)
-  mkEMatchTheoremCore origin levelParams numParams proof patterns
+  mkEMatchTheoremCore origin levelParams numParams proof patterns (if useLhs then .eqLhs else .eqRhs)
 
 def mkEMatchEqBwdTheoremCore (origin : Origin) (levelParams : Array Name) (proof : Expr) : MetaM EMatchTheorem := do
   let (numParams, patterns) ← forallTelescopeReducing (← inferType proof) fun xs type => do
     let_expr f@Eq α lhs rhs := type
-      | throwError "invalid E-matching `≠` theorem, conclusion must be an equality{indentExpr type}"
+      | throwError "invalid E-matching `←=` theorem, conclusion must be an equality{indentExpr type}"
     let pat ← preprocessPattern (mkEqBwdPattern f.constLevels! α lhs rhs)
     return (xs.size, [pat.abstract xs])
-  mkEMatchTheoremCore origin levelParams numParams proof patterns
+  mkEMatchTheoremCore origin levelParams numParams proof patterns .eqBwd
 
 /--
 Given theorem with name `declName` and type of the form `∀ (a_1 ... a_n), lhs = rhs`,
@@ -559,8 +602,8 @@ def mkEMatchEqTheorem (declName : Name) (normalizePattern := true) (useLhs : Boo
 Adds an E-matching theorem to the environment.
 See `mkEMatchTheorem`.
 -/
-def addEMatchTheorem (declName : Name) (numParams : Nat) (patterns : List Expr) : MetaM Unit := do
-  ematchTheoremsExt.add (← mkEMatchTheorem declName numParams patterns)
+def addEMatchTheorem (declName : Name) (numParams : Nat) (patterns : List Expr) (kind : TheoremKind) : MetaM Unit := do
+  ematchTheoremsExt.add (← mkEMatchTheorem declName numParams patterns kind)
 
 /--
 Adds an E-matching equality theorem to the environment.
@@ -573,28 +616,6 @@ def addEMatchEqTheorem (declName : Name) : MetaM Unit := do
 def getEMatchTheorems : CoreM EMatchTheorems :=
   return ematchTheoremsExt.getState (← getEnv)
 
-inductive TheoremKind where
-  | eqLhs | eqRhs | eqBoth | eqBwd | fwd | bwd | default
-  deriving Inhabited, BEq, Repr
-
-private def TheoremKind.toAttribute : TheoremKind → String
-  | .eqLhs   => "[grind =]"
-  | .eqRhs   => "[grind =_]"
-  | .eqBoth  => "[grind _=_]"
-  | .eqBwd   => "[grind ←=]"
-  | .fwd     => "[grind →]"
-  | .bwd     => "[grind ←]"
-  | .default => "[grind]"
-
-private def TheoremKind.explainFailure : TheoremKind → String
-  | .eqLhs   => "failed to find pattern in the left-hand side of the theorem's conclusion"
-  | .eqRhs   => "failed to find pattern in the right-hand side of the theorem's conclusion"
-  | .eqBoth  => unreachable! -- eqBoth is a macro
-  | .eqBwd   => "failed to use theorem's conclusion as a pattern"
-  | .fwd     => "failed to find patterns in the antecedents of the theorem"
-  | .bwd     => "failed to find patterns in the theorem's conclusion"
-  | .default => "failed to find patterns"
-
 /-- Returns the types of `xs` that are propositions. -/
 private def getPropTypes (xs : Array Expr) : MetaM (Array Expr) :=
   xs.filterMapM fun x => do
@@ -702,7 +723,7 @@ where
     trace[grind.ematch.pattern] "{← origin.pp}: {patterns.map ppPattern}"
     return some {
       proof, patterns, numParams, symbols
-      levelParams, origin
+      levelParams, origin, kind
     }
 
 def mkEMatchTheoremForDecl (declName : Name) (thmKind : TheoremKind) : MetaM EMatchTheorem := do
diff --git a/tests/lean/run/grind_usr.lean b/tests/lean/run/grind_usr.lean
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4586c74002
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lean/run/grind_usr.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+opaque f : Nat → Nat
+
+/--
+error: the modifier `usr` is only relevant in parameters for `grind only`
+-/
+#guard_msgs (error) in
+@[grind usr]
+theorem fthm : f (f x) = f x := sorry
+
+/--
+info: [grind.ematch.pattern] fthm: [f (f #0)]
+-/
+#guard_msgs (info) in
+set_option trace.grind.ematch.pattern true in
+example : f (f (f x)) = f x := by
+  grind only [fthm]
+
+/--
+info: [grind.ematch.instance] fthm: f (f (f x)) = f (f x)
+[grind.ematch.instance] fthm: f (f x) = f x
+-/
+#guard_msgs (info) in
+set_option trace.grind.ematch.instance true in
+example : f (f (f x)) = f x := by
+  grind only [fthm]
+
+#guard_msgs (info) in
+-- should not instantiate anything using pattern `f (f #0)`
+set_option trace.grind.ematch.instance true in
+example : f x = x := by
+  fail_if_success grind only [fthm]
+  sorry
+
+/--
+error: the modifier `usr` is only relevant in parameters for `grind only`
+-/
+#guard_msgs (error) in
+example : f (f (f x)) = f x := by
+  grind [usr fthm]
+
+/--
+error: invalid use of `usr` modifier, `fthm` does not have patterns specified with the command `grind_pattern`
+-/
+#guard_msgs (error) in
+example : f (f (f x)) = f x := by
+  grind only [usr fthm]
+
+grind_pattern fthm => f x
+
+example : f (f (f x)) = f x := by
+  grind only [usr fthm]
+
+#guard_msgs (info) in
+-- should not instantiate anything using pattern `f (f #0)`
+set_option trace.grind.ematch.instance true in
+example : f x = x := by
+  fail_if_success grind only [fthm]
+  sorry
+
+/--
+info: [grind.ematch.instance] fthm: f (f x) = f x
+[grind.ematch.instance] fthm: f (f (f x)) = f (f x)
+-/
+#guard_msgs (info) in
+set_option trace.grind.ematch.instance true in
+example : f x = x := by
+  fail_if_success grind only [usr fthm]
+  sorry
+
+/--
+error: the modifier `usr` is only relevant in parameters for `grind only`
+-/
+#guard_msgs (error) in
+example : f (f (f x)) = f x := by
+  grind [usr fthm]