Use of Used to and Would
1 USED TO
Use
We use used
to + base verb to talk about past habits or past states that are
no longer true now.
Form
Subject
+ used to + base verb
Examples (Habits)
- I used to
wake up early when I was a student.
- She used
to play football after school.
- We used
to go to the river in summer.
Examples (States)
- He used
to live in Chitwan.
- There used
to be a park here.
- I used to
be very shy.
❌ Negative & Question
- Negative:
- I didn’t
use to like tea.
- Question:
- Did you use
to walk to
school?
Tip: After did
/ didn’t, use use to, not used to.
2 WOULD
Use
We use would
+ base verb to talk about repeated past actions (habits), NOT
states.
Usually, the time
is already clear (often with a past time expression).
Form
Subject
+ would + base verb
Examples (Habits only)
- When we were
children, we would play in the fields.
- My
grandfather would tell us stories at night.
- Every
evening, she would sit by the window.
Grammar
A.
Make sentences from the table below using used to / didn’t use to as shown in
the example.
a. She used to travel a lot but now
she rarely leaves her town.
b. She used to be lazy but now she works hard.
c. She didn’t use to like junk food but she eats momo and noodles these days.
d. She used to have a pet but it died last year.
e. She used to be a school teacher but now she is a professor.
f. She used to have many friends but now she has few friends.
g. She didn’t use to read many books but she reads a lot of books.
h. She didn’t use to drink coffee but now she drinks coffee.
i. She used to go to parties a lot but now she doesn’t attend parties.
B. Complete the following sentences with used to or would.
a. My sister used to have short hair when she
was young.
Correct
Reason:
“Have short hair” is a past state, and used to is correct for
past states that are no longer true.
b. We used to have lunch in the same school
café when I was in middle school.
Correct
Reason:
This sentence talks about a past habit (repeated action). Used to
is correctly used.
c. My father used to play badminton before he
had a backbone problem.
Mostly
correct (small improvement suggested)
Better
version:
My father used to play badminton before he had a back problem.
Reason:
“Play badminton” is a past habit, so used to is correct.
(Backbone problem is understandable but back problem is more
natural.)
d. When I was very young, I didn’t use to like
milk.
Correct
Reason:
In negative sentences, we use didn’t + use to + base verb.
Not used to.
e. She would call me after class for a chat.
Needs
context
Corrected
version:
When we were in college, she would call me after class for a chat.
Reason:
Would is used for repeated past actions, but it needs a clear
past time reference.
f. My mother didn’t use to wear glasses when
she was at the university.
Correct
Reason:
“Wear glasses” describes a past state/habit, and the negative form with didn’t
use to is correct.
g. When I was a child, we used to live in a
village.
Correct
Reason:
“Live in a village” is a past state, so only used to is possible
(not would).
h. On Sundays, my mother would wake up and go
to the temple.
Needs
past-time context
Corrected
version:
When I was a child, on Sundays, my mother would wake up and go to the
temple.
Reason:
Would is correct for repeated past actions, but the past time
must be clear.
i. How many friends did you have in class ten?
❌ Incorrect originally
Original:
❌ How many friends would have in class
ten?
Reason:
Would is not used in questions like this.
This is a simple past fact, so we use did + subject + base verb.
j. My father would always read me bedtime
stories before bed.
Needs
context
Corrected
version:
When I was young, my father would always read me bedtime stories before
bed.
Reason:
Would is correct for a repeated past habit, but again, it needs a
past-time reference.
Quick Summary
- Used to → past
habits and states
- Would → past repeated
actions only
- Would always
needs a clear past time
- Negative
& questions → did / didn’t + use to
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