past states and habits (used to, would, past simple).pdf

Using USED TO, WOULD and the SIMPLE PAST to talk about past states and habits.
NOTE: Both USED TO and WOULD may come up in the key word transformation part (use of English part 4) of the B2 First , C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency exams.

1. HABITS
PASTSTATES
USEDTO WOULD
'Usedto'canbeusedtotalkabout
paststatesaswellaspasthabits
(repeatedactions).
usedto+infinitive
IusedtoliveinNewYorkwhen
Iwasakid.
Weusedtogooutmoreoften.
Sheusedtoworkforalarge
insurancecompany.
'Usedto'isforpaststatesoractions,
butwouldisforpastactionsonly.
'Would'isnotusedwithstativeverbs
(verbsthatdescribeastateandnotanaction),such
asbe,understand,feelorlove.
Wouldforpasthabitsisslightlymore
formalthanusedto.Itisoftenused
instories.Wedon'tnormallyusethe
negativeorquestionformofwouldfor
pasthabits
EverySaturdayIwouldgoonalong
bikeride.
Mydadwouldreadmeamazing
storieseverynightatbedtime.
NEGATIVE QUESTION
didn’tusetodid+useto...?
Sometimeswewriteitwithafinal-d
(didn’tusedto/did+usedto...?),
sometimesnot.Bothformsare
common,butmanypeopleconsider
theformwiththefinal-dtobe
incorrect,andyoushouldnotuseit
inexams:
Ididn’tusetoeatchipswhen
Iwasyounger.
DidyouusetoworkwithMike?
Didn'tyouusetohavelonghair?
usednotto
Inveryformalstyles,wecanusethe
negativeformusednotto:
Youusednottosmoke,didyou?
SIMPLEPAST
Wecanalsousethepastsimpletotalk
aboutpaststatesorhabits.
Themaindifferenceisthatthepast
simpledoesn'temphasisetherepeated
orcontinuousnatureoftheactionor
situation.Also,thepastsimpledoesn't
makeitsoclearthatthethingisno
longertrue.
IhadadogwhenIwasyoung.
IplayedtennisalotwhenIwas
younger.
COMMONMISTAKE:usingwouldwithstativeverbs(verbsthatdescribeastateandnotanaction)
✗WhenIwasakidIwouldloveplayingfootball.(loveisastativeverb)
✓WhenIwasakidIusedtoloveplayingfootball.