Past habits

Past habits are actions that happened repeatedly over a period in the past. We can talk about them using used to + bare infinitive, would + bare infinitive or the past simple. Used to normally indicates that the past habit no longer happens and can also describe past states that are no longer true.

Past habits with used to, would and the past simple

Used to for past habits

We commonly use used to followed by a bare infinitive verb to describe past habits:

• I used to play the violin at school. (I no longer play the violin)
• My brother used to call me every Sunday. (He no longer calls me every Sunday.)
• We used to go to Spain for our holidays. (We no longer go to Spain for our holidays)

In questions and negative sentences, use use to after did or didn’t rather than used to. The pronunciation is normally the same, so the difference is mainly noticeable in writing:

• Did you use to live here?
• I didn’t use to live here.

Would for past habits

Would + bare infinitive can also describe repeated past actions, especially when a past time or situation has already been established. It is particularly common in stories and when reminiscing about the past:

• When I was younger, my mother would bake apple crumble on Sundays.
• When we stayed with my grandparents, we would walk to the village every morning.
• • When we were teenagers, we would cycle for hours after school.

Past simple for past habits

The past simple can also describe past habits when the context shows that an action was repeated. Unlike used to, the past simple does not itself emphasise the repeated nature of the action or make it as clear that the habit has stopped:

• I played the violin at school.
• We went to Spain every summer when I was a child.
• When I was younger, my mother baked apple crumble on Sundays.

When describing a single completed past event, we use the past simple rather than used to or would:

• My brother visited Iceland in 2021.

Past states with used to, would and the past simple

Used to for past states

Use used to to describe states that existed in the past but are no longer true. Would is not normally used to describe a state that remained true throughout a single period in the past:

• I used to have blond hair when I was a child.
• My sister used to be in the Girl Guides.
• My cousin used to believe in fairies.

Would for past states

We do not normally use would to describe a single state that continued throughout a period in the past. In this situation, we normally use used to:

• ❌ When I was younger, I would live in London.
• ✅ When I was younger, I used to live in London.

• ❌ She would believe in ghosts when she was a child.
• ✅ She used to believe in ghosts when she was a child.

However, would can describe states that occurred repeatedly on separate occasions or during recurring periods. In these cases, the context shows that the state became true again each time:

• At the end of each month, we would have very little money left.
• On winter mornings, the roads would often be icy.
• Whenever we visited him, my grandfather would seem unhappy.
• After long meetings, I would often feel exhausted.

The important distinction is therefore between one continuing past state and a state that was repeated on different occasions. Would is not normally used for the first, but it can be used for the second.

Past simple for past states

The past simple can also describe a past state, particularly when the focus is on the time or period in which the state existed. It tells us that the state was true at that time, but does not by itself tell us whether it is still true now. In contrast, used to normally emphasises the difference between the past and the present and suggests that the state is no longer true, for example:

• My sister lived in China during Covid. (the focus is on where she lived during that period; she may still live in China.)
• My sister used to live in China. (the focus is on a past situation that has changed; she presumably does not live there now.)

Common mistakes with past habits

Used to vs be used to and get used to

Used to + bare infinitive describes a past habit or state. Be used to + noun/-ing means to be accustomed to something, while get used to + noun/-ing means to become accustomed to it.

• ❌ He’s not used to drive on the left.
• ✅ He’s not used to driving on the left. (he is not accustomed to this)

• ❌ People are used to see police officers with guns in train stations.
• ✅ People are used to seeing police officers with guns in train stations. (people are accustomed to this)

• ❌ I can’t get used to wake up at this time.
• ✅ I can’t get used to waking up at this time. (I cannot become accustomed to this)

• ❌ You need to get used to work with Nathan.
• ✅ You need to get used to working with Nathan. (you need to become accustomed to this)

Used to after did

A common mistake is to use used to after did or didn’t. Use use to instead:

• ❌ Did she used to work here?
• ✅ Did she use to work here?

• ❌ We didn’t used to eat out much.
• ✅ We didn’t use to eat out much.

Would with a state during a single past period

A common mistake is to use would simply to replace used to for a state that remained true throughout a single period in the past. Use used to when the state was generally or continuously true throughout that period:

• ❌ My grandparents would own a small farm when I was a child.
• ✅ My grandparents used to own a small farm when I was a child.

• ❌ Laura would like jazz when she was a teenager.
• ✅ Laura used to like jazz when she was a teenager.

Used to, would and the past simple: summary

Free past habits worksheets