masterMind Level 1

Unit 1 Grammar 2
WOULD, USED TO,
BE + ALWAYS + –ING
 WOULD, USED TO,
BE + ALWAYS + –ING

1. Are the speakers talking about something that only

happened once or happened more than once in the past?
2. Can you notice an error?
B: Not really. I would spend
A: As a student, did
most of my time studying then!
you used
use to stay out
late on weekends?

C: When I was in college, I was always

staying out until midnight on Saturdays!
 WOULD, USED TO,
BE + ALWAYS + –ING

What is the difference in the meaning of would

in these sentences?
would + base
I would put on my school tie form = past
when I arrived at school. habit

would + like +
I would like to be able to
infinitive = wish,
afford designer clothes.
desire
 WOULD, USED TO,
BE + ALWAYS + –ING

Other examples of would, used to, and be + always +

–ing:

• I would start crying whenever my mother took me to

the dentist.

• I used to start crying whenever my mother took me

to the dentist.

• I was always crying whenever my mother took me

to the dentist.
 WOULD, USED TO,
BE + ALWAYS + –ING

Which sentence is incorrect? What tenses can you use

the structure be + always + –ing in? How can you
correct the incorrect sentence?

He will always forgetting

forget to bring his wallet.

He is always forgetting to bring his wallet.

He was always forgetting to bring his wallet.

TIP: We can use be + always + –ing to express past or

present habits, but not to describe future predictions!
 WOULD, USED TO,
BE + ALWAYS + –ING
Examples

My family and I would go camping every

would
year.

I used to be a big basketball fan, but not

anymore.
used to I didn’t use to be a big basketball fan, but I
am now.
Did you use to be a big basketball fan?
be + always + –ing He is always trying to help other people
(present) out.

be + always + –ing He was always trying to help other people

(past) out.
 WOULD, USED TO,
BE + ALWAYS + –ING

1. Where could you insert never in this sentence?

They would always

never argue.

2. Where could you insert always in the same sentence?

3. Where could you insert the frequency adverbs in the
sentence below?
They never used to argue.

They always used to argue.

 WOULD, USED TO,
BE + ALWAYS + –ING

Which structures match the

rules?
be + always + –ing
1. We can use this/these
structure(s) to talk about
repeated events in the past used to
time only.

2. We can use this/these would

structure(s) to talk about
repeated events in the past
and present time.
 WOULD, USED TO,
BE + ALWAYS + –ING

Prepare some questions to ask a partner about their

habits in the past.
Were you always helping with
housework as a child?

What did you use to do after school?

What would annoy you when you were younger?

 WOULD, USED TO,
BE + ALWAYS + –ING
Grammar wrap-up
1. Complete the sentence.
You can use would and used to to talk about …
a. past events that happened once.
b. past events that happened regularly.

2. Complete the sentence.

You can use be + always + –ing to talk about …
a. past and present events that happened regularly.
b. past events that happened regularly.

3. Make one question, one affirmative sentence and

one negative sentence using used to.