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Anna Ogorodnikova
what's the difference between "would" and "used to" in the past?
Jul 10, 2020 9:44 AM
Answers · 8
1
Here is something else to know about "would" and "used to".
1. "Would" is not used with stative verbs (those that describe a state: feel, love, know, be, have, live)
So use "Used to" instead.
He used to have a beard.
This building used to be a hotel.
I used to live in China.
Compare:
He would have a beard.
This building would be a hotel.
I would live in China.
Those have a different meaning, right?
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2. You can't usually make negative sentences with "would" if you want to express that something didn't use to happen in the past.
I didn't use to play with my toy cars.
Compare:
I wouldn't play with my toy cars.
That means "I didn't want to play with my toy cars".
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-to-upper-intermediate/past-habits-used-to-would-and-the-past-simple
July 10, 2020
1
Used to is used to talk about repeated actions and habits as well as past states.
For example, you can say I used to be a biker when I was younger. But you cannot say I would be a biker when I was younger.
You can use both to talk about a past action. I used to get the bus to school, I would get the bus to school.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode69/languagepoint.shtml#:~:text='Used%20to'%20can%20be%20used,to%20talk%20about%20past%20states.
July 10, 2020
"Used to" is usually used for something which is no longer true
For example, As I child, I used to play on the seesaw.
Explanation: You no longer play on the seesaw. You only did that as a child.
"Would" is used for actions which are still true.
For example, As a child, I would go to the park near my house.
Explanation: You still go to the park near your house.
July 10, 2020
'would' has the same meaning, however, it can also infer an extra feeling of nostalgia, eg. When I was a kid, my grandmother would always buy us an ice-cream whenever the ice-cream came into the street.
July 10, 2020
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Anna Ogorodnikova
Language Skills
English, Russian, Spanish
Learning Language
Russian, Spanish
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