Lesson Two Past habits – 'used to', 'would'

and the past simple

Pr. M. HAOUCHA
 Look at these examples to see how “used to”, “would” and the past simple are used.

Examples:
* They used to live in London.
* I didn't use to like olives.
* We would always go to the seaside for our holidays.
* But one holiday we went to the mountains instead.

Grammar explanation:
Do you know how
to talk about past When we talk about things in the past that are not true any more, we can do it in
habits using “used different ways.
to”, “would” and
the past simple? Used to + infinitive
We can use “used to” to talk about past states that are not true any more.

We used to live in New York when I was a kid.

There didn't use to be a supermarket there. When did it open?
Did you use to have a garden?
We can also use “used to” to talk about past habits (repeated past actions) that don't happen
any more.

*I used to go swimming every Thursday when I was at school.

*She used to smoke but she gave up a few years ago.

used to + infinitive should not be confused with be/get used to + -ing, which has a different
meaning. The difference is covered here.

Would
We can use “would” to talk about repeated past actions that don't happen any more.

*Every Saturday I would go on a long bike ride.

*My dad would read me amazing stories every night at bedtime.

“would” for past habits is slightly more formal than “used to”. It is often used in stories. We
don't normally use the negative or question form of would for past habits. Note that we can't
usually use would to talk about past states.
Choose the correct option to complete the sentence.

When I was young we ___ in a big house in the countryside.

a. would live
b. used to live

On summer mornings my brother and I ___ while everyone else was asleep.
a. used to go fishing
b. have fished

We ___ breakfast and then go quietly out of the house to the river.
a. would have
b. had

We ___ hours fishing in a small boat belonging to my grandmother.

a. would spend
b. didn't use to spend
My brother ___ the names of all the different types of fish that were in the river.
a. would know
b. used to know

We would often fall asleep in the boat and our father ___ to find us.
a. would come
b. was coming

But Dad ___ angry because he had done the same when he was a kid.
a. wouldn't get
b. didn't use to get

Once I ___ an enormous fish. I was so happy!

a. used to catch
b. caught
Past simple
We can always use the past simple as an alternative to “used to” or “would” to talk about
past states or habits. The main difference is that the past simple doesn't emphasize the
repeated or continuous nature of the action or situation. Also, the past simple doesn't make
it so clear that the thing is no longer true. See the examples below:

*We went to the same beach every summer.

*We used to go to the same beach every summer.
*We would go to the same beach every summer.

If something happened only once, we must use the past simple.

*I went to Egypt in 2014.

Do the following practice exercise to check your understanding

 I ___ a really sporty person.
a. would be
b. used to be

In my first year at university, I ___ for an hour every morning before breakfast.
a. have run
b. would run

Practice Then I ___ the university boxing team and I really started to train hard.
a. joined
b. used to join

During that time, I ___ to spend at least two hours in the gym every day.
a. would like
b. used to like
When I started my training, I ___ my diet completely.
a. would change
b. changed

I ___ three eggs with toast and fruit for breakfast.

a. have had
b. used to have

I ___ sugar in my tea because it wasn't on my diet plan.

a. didn't use to have
b. wouldn't have

But then I ___ my arm and that was the end of my boxing career!
a. would break
b. broke
Let's look at the language you need to talk about your childhood. 

 Use past tense, used to and would. 

 Learn Family members
 Learn phrases and collocations connected with remembering. 
Ex: decide if each of these sentences applies to you or not.

1. I didn’t use to make my own bed when I was twelve.

2. I used to be really messy, but now I am more organized.
3. I used to stay up late on weekdays.
4. I would watch horror movies with my siblings on Saturday nights.
5. I used to enjoy going to clubs, but now I prefer to do other activities.
6. I didn’t use to go outside alone in my childhood.
7. When I was young, I would play soccer after school.”
8. On Sundays, after my football match, I would often come home exhausted.
 I didn’t use to smoke.

a. I smoked in the past but now I don’t.

b. I smoke now, but I didn’t in the past.

1. What does this
sentence mean?
c. I smoke now and I also smoked in the past.
 I didn’t use to smoke.

a. I smoked in the past but now I don’t.

b. I smoke now, but I didn’t in the past.

What does this
sentence mean?
c. I smoke now and I also smoked in the past.
 a. My grandmother would have long, fair hair.

b. We would go swimming every Friday.

2. Which sentence is
NOT correct?

c. We would go to the zoo every summer.

 a. My grandmother would have long, fair hair.

b. We would go swimming every Friday.

2. Which sentence is
NOT correct?

c. We would go to the zoo every summer.

 a. I never use to like cabbage.
b. I didn’t used to like cabbage.
3. Which sentence is c. I didn’t use to like cabbage.
correct?
 a. I never use to like cabbage.
b. I didn’t used to like cabbage.
3. Which sentence is c. I didn’t use to like cabbage.
correct?
 a. My brother and I often would fight.

b. Often my brother and I would fight.

4. Which sentence is
correct?
c. My brother and I would often fight.
 a. My brother and I often would fight.

b. Often my brother and I would fight.

4. Which sentence is
correct?
c. My brother and I would often fight.
 a. My brother and I often would fight.

b. Often my brother and I would fight.

4. Which sentence is
correct?
c. My brother and I would often fight.
 a. My brother would be very short when
he was younger.

4. Which sentence is b. I would often play by myself when I

correct?
was younger.

c. There would be a post office on this

street, but it’s not there now.
 a. My brother would be very short when
he was younger.

4. Which sentence is b. I would often play by myself when I

correct?
was younger.

c. There would be a post office on this

street, but it’s not there now.