Past habits: would and used to
Talk about past habits and states with used to and would, and the difference between them.
Explanation
In English, past habits are actions or behaviors that occurred regularly or repeatedly in the past. Two common ways to express past habits are by using "would" and "used to." These expressions have similar meanings but are used slightly differently. Here's a detailed explanation of both:
Used to: To express past habits using "used to," you use "used to" plus the infinitive form of the verb.
Structure: Subject + "used to" + infinitive form of the verb
Examples:
- She used to live in New York.
- They used to go swimming every Sunday.
- I used to play the piano when I was younger.
Usage
"Used to" is used to describe actions, habits, or situations that were regular or habitual in the past but have stopped in the present. It indicates that the action or habit no longer continues. It is often used to talk about things that happened in the more distant past.
Negative and question forms
- She didn't use to smoke.
- Did she use to live here?
Would: To express past habits using "would," you use "would" plus the infinitive form of the verb.
Structure: Subject + "would" + infinitive form of the verb
Examples:
- He would visit his grandparents every summer.
- She would always arrive early for meetings.
- We would go hiking in the mountains as a family.
Usage
"Would" is used to describe past habits or actions that were routine or habitual in the past. It is often used for shorter-term habits.
It is commonly used when telling stories or anecdotes about the past.
"Would" can also be used to describe a specific action that occurred repeatedly in the past.
Negative and question forms
- He wouldn't eat vegetables as a child.
- Would she always sing in the choir?
Key Differences
"Used to" is generally used for more long-term, continuous habits or situations in the past, while "would" is more commonly used for shorter-term or repeated actions.
"Used to" is often used when discussing a change from the past to the present (e.g., "I used to smoke, but I quit."), whereas "would" is used to describe past habits without necessarily implying a change.
"Would" is more common in storytelling and anecdotes.
Both forms can be used with all subjects and in both negative and question sentences. "Used to" can be used to describe past states and habits, whereas "would" cannot be used to describe past states.
Practice
Exercise 1
Choose the correct answer
1. Which of the following describes a past habit?
2. What is the negative form of "used to" for past habits?
3. She ______ be a dancer, but she stopped a few years ago.
4. Which sentence correctly uses "would" to describe a past habit?
5. What is the question tag for the statement "They would visit the zoo"?
6. He ______ always be late for school when he was a student.
7. Which sentence correctly uses "would" to describe a past habit?
8. Which sentence correctly uses "used to" to describe a past habit?
9. What is the correct form for the negative question of "He would swim in the ocean"?
10. Which sentence correctly uses "would" to describe a past habit?
Exercise 2