English Vocabulary

Common Differences Between Would and Used to

Use would to talk about repeated actions and events in the past.

• The old man would sit in a corner talking to himself for hours.
• After dinner we all would sit in the drawing room and chat.

Use used to to talk about repeated actions and events in the past.

• The old man used to sit in a corner talking to himself for hours.
• After dinner we all used to sit in the drawing room and chat.

We can use used to to talk about past states. Would cannot be used with this meaning.

• I used to have an old Rolls-Royce. (NOT I would have an old Rolls-Royce.)

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