Academia Teach: Grammar: Past Tense: Would Vs Used to
Would vs. Used to: Talking About Past Habits in English
When telling stories or talking about the past, English offers two very useful structures to describe past habits and repeated actions: used to and would. Although they are similar, they are not interchangeable, and understanding the difference will help you sound more natural and precise.
This distinction is especially important in storytelling, interviews, and exams like IELTS.
1. Used to: Past Habits and Past States
We use used to + base verb to talk about:
Things that happened regularly in the past
Situations or states that were true before but are not true anymore
Structure:
used to + base verb
Examples:
Christian used to work double shifts when the bar first opened.
He used to feel nervous before talking to customers.
I used to live near the beach, but now I live downtown.
Notice that used to works with actions and states (feelings, situations, conditions).
2. Would: Repeated Actions in the Past (NOT States)
We also use would + base verb to talk about repeated actions in the past, especially in stories. However, would cannot be used for past states.
Structure:
would + base verb
Examples:
After closing the bar, Christian would sit at the counter and listen to stories.
Every Friday, customers would stay until very late.
❌ Incorrect:
He would be tired after work.
Correct version:
He used to be tired after work.
This is the key difference:
➡ Would = repeated actions only
➡ Used to = actions AND states
3. Context Is Essential When Using Would
When we use would, the context must already be clear. Usually, we first set the scene with past simple or used to, and then continue with would.
Example:
When Christian lived in Barcelona, he used to finish work late. After that, he would go to the same small bar every night.
Without context, would can sound confusing.
4. Would and Used to in Storytelling
In storytelling, both structures are powerful tools:
used to helps describe background and long-term habits
would helps create rhythm and detail in repeated actions
Example:
Christian used to love listening to people’s stories. Every night, someone would sit at the bar and share something unexpected.
5. Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Using would for past states
She would be shy. → Incorrect
She used to be shy. → Correct
❌ Using used to without a clear contrast to the present
Always make it clear that the situation has changed.
Final Tip
If you’re not sure which one to use, ask yourself:
Is this a state? → use used to
Is this a repeated action in a story? → would works (with context)
Exercise 1
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