As an English teacher, I have been creating content for both Korean learners and global English learners. This blog is where I share the grammar rules I cover in my lessons — and today’s quiz is about two ways to talk about the past that confuse even advanced learners: used to and would. Both describe past habits, but there’s one key difference that decides which one you can use.
No rules first. Just the quiz. 🎯
Quiz Time!
Question 1: “I _____ live in Busan when I was a child.”
a) would b) used to
Question 2: “Every summer, we _____ go to the beach together.”
a) used to b) would
Question 3: “She _____ have long hair, but now it’s short.”
a) would b) used to
Question 4: “When we were kids, my dad _____ read us a story every night.”
a) used to b) would
Question 5: “I _____ like coffee, but now I drink it every day.”
a) would b) used to
Answers
- used to — a past state (living somewhere)
- would — a repeated past action
- used to — a past state (having long hair)
- would — a repeated past action (telling stories)
- used to — a past state (a feeling/preference)
How did you do? The trick is knowing the difference between a state and an action.
When to use USED TO
Use used to for past states AND past habits — basically anything that was true in the past but isn’t now. It’s the safe, flexible choice.
- “I used to live in Seoul.” (a state — where you lived)
- “She used to be shy.” (a state — how she was)
- “We used to play together every day.” (a habit)
- “I used to love spicy food.” (a state — a feeling)
If it describes a past situation that’s no longer true, used to always works.
When to use WOULD
Use would ONLY for repeated past actions — things that happened again and again. You cannot use would for states (feelings, conditions, situations).
- “Every winter, we would go skiing.” (a repeated action ✅)
- “He would call me every morning.” (a repeated action ✅)
- “I would be tall.” ❌ (a state — this is WRONG)
- “She would have a car.” ❌ (a state — this is WRONG)
If it’s an action that repeated, would works. If it’s a state, you must use used to.
Common mistakes to avoid
The biggest mistake is using would for past states. “I would live in Busan” ❌ sounds wrong to native speakers — you must say “I used to live in Busan.” ✅ Remember: would needs an action. For feelings, conditions, and situations (be, have, like, live), always choose used to. When you’re unsure, used to is the safer pick because it covers both states and habits.
Quick recap
USED TO = past states + past habits (always safe).
WOULD = repeated past actions only (never states).
Quick test: “I used to be quiet” ✅ but NOT “I would be quiet” ❌ — because be is a state!
Is there a grammar point or English expression you’ve always wanted to know? Drop it in the comments below — I’d love to cover it in my next post!
— Yehs Sam | Turtle Zeus 🐢⚡ Slow but surely, we get there.
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