“Would” and “used to” can both be used to talk about past habits or repeated actions, but there are some important differences in meaning, form, and usage.
✅ 1. “Used to”
Function:
- Describes past habits or states that are no longer true.
Examples:
- I used to play soccer every weekend. (habit)
- She used to live in New York. (state)
- We used to be best friends. (state)
Important:
- “Used to” can describe both actions and states.
✅ 2. “Would” (for past)
Function:
- Describes repeated actions or routines in the past, often with a sense of nostalgia.
Examples:
- When I was a kid, we would go to the beach every summer. (habit)
- My grandfather would tell us stories every night. (habit)
Important:
- “Would” is only used for actions, not states.
❌ I would live in New York. → Incorrect
✅ I used to live in New York. → Correct
🔍 Summary Table:
| Use | Used to | Would |
|---|---|---|
| Past habits | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Past states (e.g., live, be, have) | ✔ Yes | ❌ No |
| Repeated past actions | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Formality / tone | Neutral | Often more literary or nostalgic |
| Example | I used to ride my bike. | I would ride my bike every day. |
🎯 Examples to Compare:
- I used to be very shy. ✅ (State — OK with “used to,” but not “would”)
- When we were kids, we would build forts in the backyard. ✅ (Repeated action — OK with “would” or “used to”)
- She used to have a dog. ✅ (State — “would” not possible here)
Here are some practice exercises to help you practice the difference between “used to” and “would”.
📝 Part 1: Fill in the blank
Choose either “used to” or “would” to complete the sentence.
Remember: Use “used to” for states or habits, and “would” only for repeated actions.
- When I was a child, I __________ climb trees with my friends.
- We __________ have a dog named Rex.
- My grandmother __________ tell us stories by the fireplace.
- I __________ live in a small village, but now I live in a big city.
- Every summer, our family __________ travel to the mountains.
- He __________ be very shy when he was younger.
- At school, we __________ sing the national anthem every morning.
🧠 Part 2: Correct or Incorrect?
Say whether the sentence is correct or incorrect. If it’s incorrect, explain why.
- I would have a car when I was 18.
- She used to bake cookies every weekend.
- They would go to the same café every Saturday.
- We would be very close when we were kids.
- He used to be my teacher.
Here are the answers and explanations for each part of the exercise:
✅ Part 1: Fill in the blank
- When I was a child, I used to / would climb trees with my friends.
→ ✅ Both are correct (it’s a repeated action). - We used to have a dog named Rex.
→ ✅ “Used to” is correct. “Have” is a state, so “would” is not used. - My grandmother used to / would tell us stories by the fireplace.
→ ✅ Both are correct (repeated action). - I used to live in a small village, but now I live in a big city.
→ ✅ “Used to” is correct. “Live” is a state. - Every summer, our family used to / would travel to the mountains.
→ ✅ Both are correct (repeated action). - He used to be very shy when he was younger.
→ ✅ “Used to” is correct. “Be” is a state. - At school, we used to / would sing the national anthem every morning.
→ ✅ Both are correct (repeated action).
✅ Part 2: Correct or Incorrect?
- ❌ I would have a car when I was 18.
→ Incorrect. “Have” is a state, so you should say:
✅ I used to have a car when I was 18. - ✅ She used to bake cookies every weekend.
→ Correct. Repeated action in the past. - ✅ They would go to the same café every Saturday.
→ Correct. Repeated action. - ❌ We would be very close when we were kids.
→ Incorrect. “Be” is a state, so use:
✅ We used to be very close when we were kids. - ✅ He used to be my teacher.
→ Correct. Past state.