Resolved questions
when can we use "would" in English?

Use of Would
would: Talking about the past

*We often use would as a kind of past tense of will or going to:

Even as a boy, he knew that he would succeed in life.
I thought it would rain so I brought my umbrella.

*Using would as as a kind of past tense of will or going to is common in reported speech:

She said that she would buy some eggs. ("I will buy some eggs.")
The candidate said that he wouldn't increase taxes. ("I won't increase taxes.")
Why didn't you bring your umbrella? I told you it would rain! ("It's going to rain.")

*We often use would not to talk about past refusals:

He wanted a divorce but his wife would not agree.
Yesterday morning, the car wouldn't start.

*We sometimes use would (rather like used to) when talking about habitual past behaviour:

Every weekday my father would come home from work at 6pm and watch TV.
Every summer we'd go to the seaside.
Sometimes she'd phone me in the middle of the night.
We would always argue. We could never agree.