Used to and would for past habits
Things that were true or happened often in the past: I used to live in Kazan, we would play outside until dark.
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We use used to + verb for past habits and past states that are not true any more. Would + verb can also describe past habits, but only repeated actions, not states.
Form: used to + verb
Used to is the same for every person, and the verb after it has no ending. In negatives and questions, did carries the past, so the form is use to, without -d.
Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|
I used to play chess | I didn't use to play | Did you use to play? |
she used to live here | she didn't use to live here | Where did she use to live? |
- I used to play the guitar, but I stopped years ago.
- We didn't use to have a car.
- Did you use to walk to school?
- Incorrect: I didn't used to like coffee.
- Correct: I didn't use to like coffee.After did or didn't, the verb takes its base form: use to.
- Incorrect: Did you used to live in the centre?
- Correct: Did you use to live in the centre?
Used to and use to sound the same: /juːst tə/. Never used to is also common: I never used to eat fish.
Habits and states that have changed
Used to tells the listener that the situation is different now.
- I used to smoke. (I don't smoke now.)
- This street used to be very quiet. Now it's full of traffic.
- My grandparents used to keep chickens.
- Incorrect: I use to go swimming every morning when I was a student.
- Correct: I used to go swimming every morning when I was a student.For the past, write used, with -d.
The past simple is also correct for past habits: When I was a child, I walked to school. Used to just makes it clear that this is no longer true.
Not for one action or a total number of times
Used to is for things that happened regularly or were true for a time. For one action, or to say how many times something happened in total, use the past simple.
- Incorrect: I used to visit Paris three times.
- Correct: I visited Paris three times when I was a student.For a total number of times, use the past simple. A regular habit is fine: I used to visit Paris three times a year.
- Incorrect: Yesterday I used to work late.
- Correct: Yesterday I worked late.One action at one time takes the past simple.
Would for repeated actions
Would + verb also describes things that happened again and again in the past. It is common in stories and memories, usually after the time has been set.
- When I was little, my grandfather would take me fishing every Sunday.
- In the summer we would get up early and swim before breakfast.
- At school, Anna would always sit at the back.
The short form is 'd: We'd play outside until it got dark.
Would is not for states
Would works only for repeated actions. For states (be, live, have, know, like), use used to.
- Incorrect: We would live in a small village near the sea.
- Correct: We used to live in a small village near the sea.Live is a state, not a repeated action, so use used to.
- Incorrect: I would have long hair when I was at university.
- Correct: I used to have long hair when I was at university.
Meaning | used to | would |
|---|---|---|
a repeated action | yes | yes |
a state (be, live, have) | yes | no |
Present habits: present simple
There is no present form of used to. For things you do regularly now, use the present simple, often with usually.
- Incorrect: I use to drink coffee every morning.
- Correct: I usually drink coffee every morning.For a present habit, use the present simple.
Don't mix up used to + verb with be used to + -ing, which means "be familiar with something": I'm used to getting up early. That is a different structure, on the page about gerunds and on its own page at B2.