Would and Used to

Exercises

Explanation

1. “Used to” — past habits and past states

Form: used to + base verb

We use used to in two situations:

A. Past habits (repeated past actions)

These are actions that occurred regularly over a period of time but are not part of life anymore.

Examples:

• I used to visit my cousins every weekend.

• She used to read comic books before going to bed.

• We used to go swimming in the lake every summer.

B. Past states (long-lasting situations)

These describe conditions or feelings that continued for a long time in the past but have now changed.

Examples:

• I used to be afraid of the dark.

• They used to live in a very quiet village.

• My grandmother used to believe that cats brought good luck.

Important: Only used to can describe states. Would cannot be used with verbs like be, know, understand, believe, love, etc.

2. “Would” — only for repeated past actions

Form: would + base verb
(short form: ’d)

We use would to describe habitual behaviour or repeated actions in the past, especially in storytelling or nostalgic descriptions.

Examples:

• Every morning, he would cycle to the river to watch the sunrise.

• During our holidays, we would stay up late and play board games.

• When I visited my aunt, she would always make hot chocolate for me.

Remember:

Would cannot describe past states.

Incorrect: He would be very nervous in big crowds.
Correct: He used to be very nervous in big crowds.

3. The key difference: Used to vs. Would

Examples:

• She used to love winter. (state → only used to)

• As teenagers, we would hang out in the park after school. (repeated action → would or used to)

• I used to know all the neighbours. (state → only used to)

4. Negative and question forms

Used to

Negative: didn’t use to + verb

Questions: Did you use to + verb?

Examples:

• I didn’t use to enjoy cooking.

• Did you use to watch cartoons every morning?

Would

Not normally used in negative or question form when talking about past habits.

Incorrect: I wouldn’t play outside after school (means I refused, not a habit)

Correct: I didn’t use to play outside after school. (habit)

5. Using both “used to” and “would” in stories

When telling stories, speakers often use used to to describe the general background, and would for repeated actions within that time period.

Example:

When I used to stay at my grandparents’ house, I used to sleep in the attic.
Every night, my grandfather would tell me a story, and we would sit together listening to the wind blowing around the old house.

6. Summary

• Used to → past habits and past states

• Would → past habits only (not states)

• Both describe things that were true for a long time but are no longer true

• Would is common in storytelling; used to is common in general descriptions