Mastering Used To and Would

Mastering Used To and Would

Understanding the proper usage of used to and would in English grammar. Learn how to correctly express past habits and actions using these two common phrases.

Used To

Used to is used to talk about past habits or states that do not happen in the present anymore. It is followed by the base form of the verb.
When we use the negative, we use didn't + use to, notice we are not going to write a d after use.
The interrogative is quite similar, Did + use to.

- Example:
I used to play soccer every weekend.
He used to be an actor, but now he's retired.
We didn't use to like swimming.
Did they use to go to school by bus?

Would

Would is used to talk about past habits or repeated actions. It is commonly used to describe actions that happened regularly in the past. It is followed by the base form of the verb.
When we use the negative, we use wouldn't.

- Example:
I would go for a run every morning.
She would climb every tree she could when she was little.
You wouldn't eat broccoli.
Would they knock on your door every day?

Multiple Choice

What is used to used for?

• Talking about past habits or states

• Talking about future plans

• Talking about present actions

• Talking about hypothetical situations

Multiple Choice

What is one of the uses of 'would' mentioned in the text?

• Talking about past habits or repeated actions

• Talking about unreal or hypothetical situations in the past

• Making polite requests or offers in the past

• Using the base form of the verb after 'would'

Mastering Used To and Would

• Used To: Describes past habits, situations or states that are no longer true.

• Would: Describes past repeated actions or habits. No states nor situations.

• Both can be used to talk about past situations.

Multiple Choice

Which tense is used to describe past habits or states that are no longer true?

• Used To

• Would

• Both Used To and Would

• Neither Used To nor Would

Multiple Choice

Which tense is used to describe only past habits or states?

• Used to

• Both

  Used to and would

• Would

• None of them

Drag and Drop

Fritz​

Placeholder

live in China.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

used to

use to

was

__

Reorder

Rearrangle the following sentence.

• did

• you

• use to

• read this book

• when you were a child?

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Dropdown

Everyone ​

Select answer

at the party last night.

Drag and Drop

The children ​

Placeholder

eat salad. They hated it.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

didn't use to

didn't used to

used to

Reorder

Rearrange the next sentence

• we

• would

• spend

• all our money

• by the end of the year.

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Fill in the Blanks

Reorder

Rewrite the following sentence:
Were you a student at this university?

• did

• you

• use to be

• a student

• at this university?

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Multiple Choice

Is possible to rewrite this sentence using would or used to?
I saw a fantastic movie over the weekend.

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Why wasn't it possible to use used to/would in the last sentence?

'I saw a fantastic movie over the weekend.'

• Because it needs to be negative

• Because we can't use 'saw' with used to

• Because it only happened once

• I don't know