Used to and would help you talk about how life was different before. Used to works for past habits and past situations. Would works only for repeated past actions, and it gives a story a warm, nostalgic feel.
The pattern
I used to live in Houston.
Every summer, we would drive to my grandma's house.
01Used to: things that were true before, not now
Use used to + base verb for a habit or a situation in the past that has stopped. It always refers to the past, so there's no present form. For the present, just use the present simple ("I usually...").
The past simple can say the same thing, but used to makes the contrast with now clearer.
- I used to work nights, but now I have a 9-to-5 job.
- This coffee shop used to be a bank.
- She used to hate spicy food. Now she puts hot sauce on everything.
02Negatives and questions: use to, no d
After did and didn't, the standard spelling is use to, because did already shows the past. You'll sometimes see "didn't used to" in casual writing, but use the standard form at work and in exams. Both sound the same when you speak.
| Form | Example |
|---|---|
| Positive | He used to play in a band. |
| Negative | He didn't use to play in a band. |
| Question | Did he use to play in a band? |
03Would: repeated actions in a memory
Would + base verb can replace used to for repeated actions, usually after the time has been set ("When I was in college..."). It's common when people tell stories about the old days.
Would does not work for states like be, have, live, like or know. For those, only used to (or the past simple) is correct.
| Verb type | used to | would |
|---|---|---|
| Repeated action: go, eat, call | yes | yes |
| State: be, have, live, like, know | yes | no |
04Don't mix it up with be used to
Be used to + noun or -ing means something is normal and familiar for you now. It's a different structure: "I'm used to the heat" means the heat doesn't bother me anymore.
- After two years in Phoenix, I'm used to the heat.
- He isn't used to driving on the highway yet.
05Common mistakes
I use to play soccer in high school.
I used to play soccer in high school.
In positive sentences, the form is used to, with a d.
Did you used to live here?
Did you use to live here?
After did, the standard form is use to.
We would have a dog when I was a kid.
We used to have a dog when I was a kid.
Have (possession) is a state, so would doesn't work here.
I used to going to the gym every morning.
I used to go to the gym every morning.
For past habits, used to is followed by the base verb.