Used to and would both describe things that happened regularly in the past and do not happen now. "I used to play chess" and "I would play chess every evening" describe the same habit.
The difference is that would only works for repeated actions. It cannot describe states or situations: "I used to live in Rome" is correct, but "I would live in Rome" is not.
This page compares the two forms, shows the negative and question patterns of used to, and drills the difference in 20 sentences with a rule under every answer.
The rule
Used to: habits and states
- Form: used to + base verb: "I used to walk to school."
- It covers repeated actions: "We used to visit our grandparents every Sunday."
- It also covers past states: "There used to be a shop here", "She used to have long hair."
- The important meaning is that the situation has changed. It is not true now.
Would: repeated actions only
- Form: would + base verb: "Every summer we would swim in the lake."
- Would describes repeated actions in a past routine or story.
- Would cannot describe a state: "I would have a dog" does not mean "I used to have a dog".
- A time phrase like every day, often or in those years makes the repetition clear.
Negative and questions with used to
- Negative: did not use to + base verb: "I did not use to like coffee."
- Question: Did you use to live here?
- After did, the d disappears from used: did not use to, did you use to.
- The negative with never is also common: "I never used to eat breakfast."
Used to and be used to
- Used to + base verb describes a past habit: "I used to run every morning."
- Be used to + -ing means be accustomed to something: "I am used to running in the cold."
- Get used to + -ing means become accustomed: "She is getting used to the new job."
- The two patterns are different: one is about the past, the other about familiarity now.
Choosing between them in a story
- Use used to for the background situation and for states: "We used to live by the sea."
- Use would for the repeated actions inside the story: "Every evening we would walk along the beach."
- They often appear together: "We used to have a little boat, and we would take it out on Sundays."
- If the sentence describes a state, only used to works.
Examples
- I used to live in a small village.A past state: would cannot replace used to here.
- I used to play the piano every day.A repeated past action.
- I would play the piano every evening after dinner.Would describes the repetition in a story.
- There used to be a cinema on this street.A state that has changed.
- Every summer, we would visit our cousins.Would needs the repeated action with a time phrase.
- She used to have short hair.A past state of appearance.
- He did not use to smoke.The negative drops the d after did.
- Did you use to work in the city?The question also drops the d.
- We never used to eat out on weekdays.Never + used to describes an old routine.
- They would always bring us sweets when they visited.Always makes the repetition clear.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: I would have a dog when I was a child. Right: I used to have a dog when I was a child.
- Would cannot describe past states. Use used to for states and situations.
- Wrong: I did not used to like cheese. Right: I did not use to like cheese.
- After did, use the base form use, without the d.
- Wrong: Did you used to live in Rome? Right: Did you use to live in Rome?
- In questions with did, the form is use to, not used to.
- Wrong: I am used to walk to work. Right: I am used to walking to work.
- Be used to takes -ing. Used to + base verb is the past-habit pattern.
- Wrong: She would be very shy when she was young. Right: She used to be very shy when she was young.
- Be shy is a state, so it needs used to rather than would.
Practice drill
Answer all 20 questions. Each answer is marked at once, and the rule is explained under the question.
I ___ have a bicycle when I was ten.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. used to A past state uses used to; would cannot describe states.
Every summer, we ___ swim in the river.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. would Would describes a repeated past action with a time phrase such as every summer.
There ___ be a bakery on this corner.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. used to A past state that has changed takes used to.
He ___ smoke, but he quit last year.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. used to Used to describes the past habit that has stopped.
I did not ___ like olives when I was young.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. use to After did, the d disappears: did not use to.
Did you ___ play tennis at school?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. use to The question with did takes use to, without the d.
She ___ be shy, but now she speaks to everyone.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. used to A past state of personality takes used to.
We ___ visit our grandparents every Sunday.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. would Would describes the repeated visits in a past routine.
I ___ living in a cold city now; it feels normal.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. am used to Be used to + -ing describes familiarity in the present.
He ___ always bring sweets when he visited.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. would Would + always describes a repeated past action.
There ___ be a tall tree in front of the house.
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Answer: C. used to The existence of the tree was a past state, so used to is needed.
My father ___ read the newspaper after dinner every day.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. would Would describes the repeated daily action in the past.
I never ___ eat breakfast before work.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. used to Never + used to describes an old habit that has changed.
They ___ have a farm in the north.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. used to Possession is a state, so used to is the correct choice.
In those years, she ___ write a letter every week.
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Answer: C. would Would describes the repeated writing habit in the story.
We ___ not use to have a car, but now we do.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. did The negative of used to in the past is did not use to.
He is getting ___ to the noise of the city.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. used Get used to + -ing means become accustomed to something.
My grandmother ___ tell us stories before bed.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. would Would describes the repeated storytelling action.
I ___ be afraid of dogs when I was little.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. used to A past feeling is a state, so used to is needed.
___ you use to live near the beach?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. Did Past questions with used to start with did and keep the base form use.
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between would and used to?
Both describe past routines, but used to also describes past states. Say "I used to live in Rome" and never "I would live in Rome". For repeated actions, both work: "We used to meet on Fridays" and "We would meet on Fridays" are equally correct.
Is it "did not used to" or "did not use to"?
The standard written form after did is "did not use to" and "Did you use to...?" The d disappears because did already shows the past. In speech, many people say "didn't used to" with the d, and it is very common, but the base form use is safer in writing and tests.
How is used to different from be used to?
Used to + base verb describes a past habit or state: "I used to cycle to work." Be used to + -ing describes familiarity: "I am used to cycling in traffic." The first is about the past; the second is about what feels normal now. Get used to + -ing describes becoming familiar.
More grammar topics
Gerund after prepositions
Every verb after a preposition becomes an -ing form, including after two-word prepositions and the tricky to in look forward to.
Another vs other vs others
Another adds one more of the same kind, other describes different things, and others stands alone as a pronoun.
Countable and uncountable nouns
The two noun groups, the words that only work with each, the measures that make uncountables countable, and the nouns with two meanings.
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