Would vs. Used To

'Would' and 'used to' are used to talk about habits which is why many learners confuse them. In this lesson, we will find out their difference.

modals semi-modals used to would

"Would" vs. "Used To" in the English grammar

What Is Their Main Difference?

The difference between 'would' and 'used to' lies in their usage to describe past habits or repeated actions, as well as their nuances and limitations.

Similarity

Both "would" and "used to" can describe routines, habits, or actions that happened repeatedly in the past but are no longer done in the present.

When I was a child, I would climb trees every weekend.

When I was a child, I used to climb trees every weekend.

When we were kids, we would visit our grandparents every Sunday.

I used to play Basketball in high school.

Difference

Scope of Use

"Used to" can refer to actions, states, or feelings and conditions that were true in the past but not in the present. It can be used after stative verbs such as live, love, feel, etc. "Would", on the other hand, cannot describe past states or conditions. It is limited to repeated actions and routines.

When I was younger, I used to live in California.

'Live' is a verb that refers to a state rather than an action.

When I was younger, I ~~would~~ live in California.

Tip!

We can use stative verbs with 'would' only when we have a conditional sentence. For example:

I would understand if you explain it to me.

I would love to join you, if you like.

Stylistic Difference

"Used to" is more direct and specific, making it clear that the action or state is no longer true. It is also more common in informal and everyday English. "Would" is more formal or literary and often carries a reflective or nostalgic tone. It is used when recounting memories or telling a story.

He used to ride his bike to work.

Every summer evening, we would sit on the porch and watch the stars.

Negative and Interrogative Forms

We can create questions and negative sentences with both 'would' and 'used to', but they follow different grammatical rules.

To negate "would", we simply add "not" (or "n't") after it. Being a modal verb, "would" does not require any additional auxiliary verbs for negation. However, keep in mind 'would' is not commonly used in the negative form when referring to past habits. To negate "used to", however, we use "did not" (didn't) followed by the base form "use to" (dropping the "d" in "used"). This is because the auxiliary verb "did" already indicates the past tense, so the main verb "use" returns to its base form.

He would often visit his grandparents. → He would not often visit his grandparents.

We would go hiking every weekend. → We wouldn’t go hiking every weekend.

I used to play the piano. → I did not use to play the piano.

to negate "used to", follow the structure 'subject + did not (didn't) + use to + base verb'

She used to believe in ghosts. → She didn't use to believe in ghosts.

To form a question with "would", you place "would" at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the subject and the base verb. But to form a question with "used to", we need "did" as the auxiliary verb, followed by the subject and the base form "use to" (dropping the "d").

You would read books on rainy days. → Would you read books on rainy days?

(Would + subject + base verb)

She used to live in Paris. → Did she use to live in Paris?

(Did + subject + use to + base verb?)

They used to go fishing every weekend. → Did they use to go fishing every weekend?

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