Used to & Would for Past Habits

Level B1 · Tenses

used to and would both describe a habit or repeated situation in the past that is no longer true — a pattern, not a single event. Compare with the past simple: I visited my grandmother last week (one specific occasion) vs I used to visit my grandmother every summer (a repeated habit, now finished).

Both describe past habits, but they don't cover exactly the same ground:

• used to + base verb works for both repeated actions and past states (things that were true but aren't anymore): I used to play tennis (action); I used to live in Paris (state); She used to be shy (state).
• would + base verb works only for repeated actions, never for states: I would visit my grandmother every summer (action) — but I would live in Paris is wrong for a past state; only used to works there: I used to live in Paris.
• would is more common in narrative, storytelling style, often alongside used to to set the scene: I used to spend summers at my grandmother's house. She would bake bread every morning, and we would eat it together on the porch.
• Both need did/didn't for questions and negatives with used to (never uses to): Did you use to play tennis? I didn't use to like coffee — never did you used to or didn't used to.

The most common mistake is using would for a past state — I would have a dog when I was young or I would be shorter than my brother are both wrong; states need used to: I used to have a dog, I used to be shorter than my brother. A second frequent error: keeping the -d on use in questions and negatives — did you used to and didn't used to are wrong; after did/didn't, use loses its -d: did you use to, didn't use to.

Look for used to/would describing a repeated pattern or a past state now changed, especially alongside time expressions like when I was young, every summer, back then — and remember would is limited to actions/repeated events, never states, while used to covers both.

Practice

Used To for States & Question/Negative Forms · Would for Repeated Actions & Mixed Practice