0
Robsee Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Used to / Would
Hello,
When an action repeat in the past, I can use either "used to..." or "would", if I am not wrong. But what form have I to use, when I for example smoked, but I haven't been smoking since 2 years?
I used to smoke or I would smoke???
Would be nice if you could give me some examples and explainations.
Thank you
Robert
When an action repeat in the past, I can use either "used to..." or "would", if I am not wrong. But what form have I to use, when I for example smoked, but I haven't been smoking since 2 years?
I used to smoke or I would smoke???
Would be nice if you could give me some examples and explainations.
Thank you
Robert
Top answer
an action we did it in the past but we aren't doing it at the moment. We use "used to" for example i used to play football when i was a child. But now i 'dont play football.
- an action we did it in the past but we aren't doing it at the moment.
- We use "used to" for example i used to play football when i was a child.
- But now i 'dont play football.
- You were doing something in the past but now you don't do it.
- we use "used to"
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
10 Answers
0
an action we did it in the past but we aren't doing it at the moment. We use "used to" for example
i used to play football when i was a child. But now i 'dont play football.
You were doing something in the past but now you don't do it. we use "used to"
i used to play football when i was a child. But now i 'dont play football.
You were doing something in the past but now you don't do it. we use "used to"
00
Habits which have been discontinued are typically expressed with 'used to".
I used to smoke. I used to think my father knew everything. I used to play bridge. I used to go to Dr. Smith whenever I needed a dentist. I used to do much more gardening when I was younger. I used to be quite overweight. I used to attend concerts more often.
"would" is much less used in si
I used to smoke. I used to think my father knew everything. I used to play bridge. I used to go to Dr. Smith whenever I needed a dentist. I used to do much more gardening when I was younger. I used to be quite overweight. I used to attend concerts more often.
"would" is much less used in si
00
Hi guys,
I've been taught that we can use would only with the activity verbs.
"We use "would" only to talk about activities, and "used to" to talk about activities and stages."
We would/used to go mushroom-picking in autumn.
My little sister used to be very shy.
Your comments?
I've been taught that we can use would only with the activity verbs.
"We use "would" only to talk about activities, and "used to" to talk about activities and stages."
We would/used to go mushroom-picking in autumn.
My little sister used to be very shy.
Your comments?
00
Maybe it's just me, but using autumn in that sentence is strange. Autumn only happens once a year, so one would have to assume you meant "every year" to indicate multiple years.
So, I would say, "I used to go mushroom picking every year in autumn" (but now you don't)
The use of "would" appears to be ok, and it is used often. The difference I see is you can use "if" or "
So, I would say, "I used to go mushroom picking every year in autumn" (but now you don't)
The use of "would" appears to be ok, and it is used often. The difference I see is you can use "if" or "
00
Am I wrong in thinking that "would" has a whiff of nostalgia, like when you reminisce things from the/your past, whereas "used to" is more neutral?
00
i am thinking of with you pieanne. we should used to not would. for example when i was a child, i used to fight with my friends.
00
Oh, Bob is such an argumentative person. Even when he was a child, he would argue with his friends.
00
PieanneAm I wrong in thinking that "would" has a whiff of nostalgia, like when you reminisce things from the/your past, whereas "used to" is more neutral?I know what you mean. It has a faintly "indulgent" or "fond" quality, to my mind. You often find it in obituaries (and autobiographies).
MrP
00
The nature of the action doesn't affect whether or not you can use "would" in this way:
"The summer holidays seemed to stretch endlessly before us. Every morning, we would go to the little hut in the woods, and practise vivisection on the neighbours' cats..."
MrP
"The summer holidays seemed to stretch endlessly before us. Every morning, we would go to the little hut in the woods, and practise vivisection on the neighbours' cats..."
MrP
00
"would" has a whiff of nostalgiaYes. I agree. In many cases, this is true.
use would only with the activity verbsI also agree that "would" is used for activities, not typically with stative verbs.
When I was young, I [used to / *would] believe the earth was flat.
CJ
0
Related Questions