| Past Simple / used to / would | ||
|---|---|---|
| Repeated past actions or habits that we don’t do anymore (play, watch, eat, drive, run …) | ||
| As children, we |
played used to play would play |
tennis every day, but these days we find more relaxation in yoga and meditation. |
| In his early twenties, Mark |
ate used to eat would eat |
meat with every meal, but now he’s adopted a plant-based diet. |
| Decades ago, Jill |
read used to read would read |
newspapers each morning, but now she gets her news from podcasts and online articles. |
| In my younger years, I |
told used to tell would tell |
lies to my friends occasionally, but now I value open and truthful communication. |
| Past states (love, like, live, know, be …) | ||
| During her childhood, Ann |
believed used to believe would believe |
in ghosts, but now she has become more skeptical. |
| In my early school years, I |
was used to be would be |
very shy, but now I’ve grown to be much more outgoing and confident. |
| Back in his college days, Rick |
was used to be would be |
a huge fan of rock music, but his musical tastes have since diversified to include jazz and classical music. |
| Before taking intensive courses a few years ago, I |
didn’t understand didn’t use to understand wouldn’t understand |
English, but now I’m fluent. |
📖 The Past Simple, ‘Used to’, and ‘Would’👇 Click to see the full picture!
📅 Past Simple: Actions in the Past
The Past Simple is used to talk about finished actions that happened at a specific time in the past.
Examples:
- 🎄 She visited her grandmother last weekend.
- 🚶♂️ I walked to school yesterday.
- 🎈 They had a party on Saturday.
How to Form It:
- Subject (I/You/He/She/We/They) + past form of the verb.
- He played tennis.
- We watched a movie.
- 🔄 Past states: To describe situations or conditions that were true in the past but are no longer true.
- I was very shy as a child.
- 🔁 Past habits: Actions that were done repeatedly in the past.
- She visited her grandmother every weekend.
🕳️ ‘Used to’: Repeated Actions or States in the Past
‘Used to’ is used to talk about past habits or states that are not true anymore.
Examples:
- 📈 I used to play football every weekend.
- 🍬 She used to love eating candy, but now she prefers fruit.
- 📚 They used to read books before bed.
How to Form It:
- Subject + used to + base verb.
- We used to visit our grandparents every summer.
- He used to ride his bike to school.
When Do We Use It?
- 🚪 Habits in the past that you no longer do.
- I used to eat a lot of candy, but now I eat healthily.
- 👪 States in the past that are no longer true.
- She used to be very shy.
🕰 ‘Would’: Repeated Past Actions (Not States)
‘Would’ is used to describe repeated actions in the past, often similar to ‘used to’. We use ‘would’ for things that happened often, but we don’t use ‘would’ for past states.
Examples:
- 🚶♀️ When we were kids, we would go to the beach every summer.
- 🍏 My grandmother would make apple pie on Sundays.
- 🎮 We would play video games all afternoon.
How to Form It:
- Subject + would + base verb.
- Every winter, we would build a snowman.
- He would tell us stories before bedtime.
When Do We Use It?
- ⌛ Repeated actions in the past (similar to ‘used to’).
- We would visit our cousins every holiday.
- ⚡ Special Memories: Often used for talking about memorable habits or things you remember fondly.
- My dad would take me fishing when I was young.
- Every Sunday, we would visit my aunt.
‘Would’ is used only for past repeated actions, not for states.
When I was young, I would be shy. ❌ (Incorrect — use ‘used to’
Simple Past – used to – would – be/get used to
1. Past actions that happened at a stated time ⏳📅
Use the simple past for actions that happened at a specific time in the past.
✔ I saw Mary yesterday. 👀👩
✔ I bought a new car last year. 🚗💰
🚫 Not: I used to buy a new car last year. ❌
2. Repeated past actions or habits 🔄🎞️
Use used to, would, or simple past for repeated past habits. ✔ They used to watch cartoons when they were kids. 📺👦👧
✔ They watched cartoons when they were kids. ✅
✔ They would watch cartoons when they were kids. 🏡🎥
🚫 Negative:
✖ They didn’t use to watch cartoons. ❌
✖ They didn’t watch cartoons. ❌
3. Past states that are not true anymore 🏠❤️🧠
Use used to or simple past for past states that are no longer true. ✔ They believed in ghosts when they were young. 👻😱
✔ They used to believe in ghosts when they were young. 🌙🎃
🚫 Not: They would believe in ghosts. ❌
4. Be/get used to (doing) something 🔄🆕
Use be/get used to when becoming accustomed to something. ✔ Mark is used to working alone. 👨💻
✔ Mark has been used to driving on the left. 🚗⬅️ ✔ Mark will be used to the new system soon. 🖥️📊 ✔ Mark is getting used to the new lifestyle. 🏃🍏
🚫 Not: Mark used to working alone. ❌
💡 Tip:
- Used to + base verb = past habit/state (✔ used to play) 🎸
- Be/get used to + -ing/noun = accustomed to (✔ be used to driving) 🚗
🌟 Practice:
- Write 3 sentences using used to. ✍️📜
- Write 3 sentences using be/get used to. 📝✅
- Share a habit you used to have but don’t anymore! 🎤💬
Quick Reference Table 📊✅
| Grammar Rule | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Simple Past ⏳ | I bought a car last year. 🚗💰 |
| Used to (habit/state) 🔄 | They used to watch cartoons. 📺👦 |
| Would (habit only) 🎞️ | They would watch cartoons. 📼 |
| Be used to (accustomed to) 🔄🆕 | Mark is used to working alone. 👨💻 |
| Get used to (becoming accustomed to) ⏳ | Mark is getting used to the new lifestyle. 🏃🍏 |
2.2.22 used to/would/be used to
englishexpertsonline.com © Konstantinos Mylonas
Translations are provided to support learners and may be indicative.