The Road to the Past with “Used to” and “Would”
Welcome to EngDrive! Today, we’re taking a trip down memory lane with two trusty companions: “used to” and “would”, Both of these are great for talking about past habits, but let’s see how they differ on this drive.
1. Used to – The Everyday Car 🚗
Imagine “used to” as your everyday car. You use it to talk about habits or states in the past that you don’t do anymore. It’s reliable and tells people what was a regular part of your life back then.
- Example 1: I used to drive to work every day.
(This was my habit in the past, but not anymore.) - Example 2: She used to have a red car.
(She had a red car in the past, but now it’s different.)
2. Would – The Weekend Convertible 🚙
Now, picture “would” as your weekend convertible. You take it out for special trips down memory lane, mainly for actions that happened repeatedly. It’s about those nice, recurring events you remember doing, not so much about general states.
- Example 1: On Sundays, we would drive to the countryside.
(Every Sunday, this was our little adventure.) - Example 2: He would always play music while driving.
(A repeated action whenever he was driving.)
Key Difference 🛣️
- Use “used to” when talking about past habits and states (things you did regularly or situations that existed).
- Use “would” for specific actions that were done repeatedly in the past.
Quick Road Signs to Remember:
- “Used to”: Perfect for both actions and states. I used to live there.
- “Would”: Only for actions, not states. He would tell stories on every road trip.
Now, you’re all set to drive smoothly through sentences about the past! 🚗💨
Happy learning with EngDrive!