WOULD, USED TO, BE+ALWAYS+-ING

Used to – Would (always)

Principio del formulario

Used to + verb describes a past situation that is no longer true
I used to go scuba diving.
It is best to avoid using ‘used to’ in negative forms or questions although some native speakers do this in informal situations. It is better to use the Past Simple in those situations.

1 A past habit

'Used to' describes something was an old habit that stopped in the past. It shows that there was repetition in the past but it probably doesn’t occur now.

My dad used to do Aikido.
We used to go skiing every winter.
I used to love sushi but I seem to have gone off it now.

2 Facts and generalisations in the past

'Used to' can also describe past facts or generalisations that are no longer true.

Danny used to live in England.
Most people in the south of the country used to be farmers.
Fred used to have a stressful job.
Tess used to be fat. Now she has a great figure.

Used to – Past Simple

'Used to' and the Past Simple can both describe past habits, facts and generalisations but 'used to' is better when an emphasis is required especially if the repetition is the emphasis of the sentence. However with questions and negative sentences Past Simple is preferred.
You used to do ballet.

Did you do ballet when you were young?
You did not do ballet when you were young.

Would (always/never)

Like 'used to' and the Past Simple, 'would' with 'always' suggests an old habit that stopped in the past. Unlike 'used to' or the Past Simple 'would always' suggests a willingness to do the action or amusement and/or annoyance. It can also suggest an extreme habit. The opposite is expressed with 'would never'.

My grandmother would always get me a book for Christmas.
Sarah would always come late to work on Mondays.
Danny would not always come out with us.
Alison would always end up in a relationship with the strangest men.
We would not always go abroad for the summer holidays.

It is important to remember that 'would always' is not the same as ‘used to’ or the Past Simple. Would cannot be used to speak about past facts or generalisations, only past repeated actions.

I used to be painfully shy when I was young. 
NOT I would always be painfully shy when I was young.
BUT I would always be shy when I met new people when I was a young boy. (In this case 'would always' is describing a repeated action – meeting new people)

'Would' can also be used with; constantly, often or simply alone i.e. 'would' but attention must be given so as not to confuse this function with conditional structures.

Lesson by Tristan, teacher at EC Malta English school

Now select the correct sentence/question from each pair:

·         1. Which is correct?

In the first job I had I used to really get on with my boss.
In my first job I would really get on with my boss.

·         2. Which is correct?

I would be able to communicate in German but I've forgotten it all.
I used to be able to communicate in German but I've forgotten it all.

·         3. Which is correct? 

When I first got to know Terry we went to our local pub on Tuesday; the first day we'd met.
When I first got to know Terry we would always go to our local pub on Tuesday; the day we'd met.

·         4. Which is correct?

I would always play tennis during the week when I was at school.
I used to play tennis during the week when I was at school.

·         5. Which is correct?

Sarah would always be shy when she was young but she seems to have changed now.
Sarah used to be shy when she was young but she seems to have changed now.

·         6. Which is correct?

Tess took a course in theatre studies when she was at university.
Tess used to take a course in theatre studies when she was at university.

·         7. Which is correct?

I never really liked going to school when I was around ten.
I would never really like going to school when I was around ten.

·         8. Which is correct?

I was surprised to see Danny smoke. He never used to smoke before.
I was surprised to see Danny smoke. He would never smoke before.

·         9. Which is correct?

We lived in a small house when I was a child.
We would always live in a small house when I was a child.