Using "used to" and "would" for past habits and routines

Both "used to" and "would" can be used to describe past habits and routines, but they have slightly different uses.

Used to

We use "used to" when talking about things that were common or regular in the past but no longer happen. It can describe both repeated actions and past states.

"I used to play the piano when I was a child". (Playing the piano was a regular activity in the past, but not anymore.)

"She used to have long hair". (This describes a past state that has changed.)

Would

We use "would" to describe repeated actions in the past, especially in storytelling. However, it cannot be used with stative verbs (such as "be", "have", "know", or "like").

"Every summer, we would go to my grandparents' house". (This was a repeated action in the past.)

"After dinner, he would always tell us a funny story". (This was a regular habit.)

Key Differences

• "Used to" can describe both habits and past states, while "would" is only for repeated past actions.
• "Used to" emphasizes that something has changed, while "would" focuses on the repeated nature of an action.

Practice using "used to" and "would" in sentences to describe past habits and routines to improve your language proficiency. This will help you convey your past experiences more accurately.