Lesson 2 - School
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This page: Learn how to use the verbs used to and would.

I used to walk to school.
 

The verbs used to and would
Grammar

There are two ways to talk about habitual actions in the past (repeated actions). We can use the verbs used to or would.

• I used to walk to school.
• I would walk to school.

We can use used to, but not would, to talk about long-term situations in the past.

• I used to live in Paris.*

*Living in a place is a long-term situation, not a repeated action.

 

Exercise - used to or would

Select "used to" or "would" for the following situations. In some cases, there is more than one correct answer (for repeated actions, both are correct).

1. I   used to would visit my grandma every weekend.
     

2. My sister   used to would go to the library in the afternoon.
     

3. My family   used to would go to the lake every summer.
     

4. I   used to would live in a big house.
     

5. She   used to would practice playing the piano in the evening.
     

6. He   used to would hate spinach, but now he loves it!
     

7. They   used to would watch cartoons on TV.
     

8. Jim and Irene   used to would feel lonely until they met each other.
     

 

Exercise - used to or would

Rewrite the sentences, changing used to to would if it is correct (if it refers to a repeated action). If it is not correct to use would (if it refers to a long-term situation, not a repeated action), leave it blank.

Examples
I used to exercise every day.

I used to hate coffee when I was little.

(In the example above, I left the space blank because it's a situation, not a repeated action. I can't change it to would)

1. She used to check her e-mail three times a day.

 

2. I used to live in an apartment.

 

3. They used to study English every afternoon.

 

4. The sofa used to be in the living room, but now it's in my bedroom.

 

5. My teacher used to help me.

 

6. My kids used to hate vegetables.

 

7. I used to read books every day.

 

8. We used to travel every summer.

 

 

Instructions Identify the error in the following sentences and write the corrected version. example He are a teacher. → He is a teacher.  1. I use to swim every day.   2. I would live in California.   3. She used walk to school.   4. He has ran 3 miles.   5.  She's teached many classes.

 

Writing

Describe your routines when you were young using used to and would.

examples:
I would walk to school every morning.
I used to do my homework after school.

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Listening Exercise

 

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