English Grammar: How to Use “Would” to Talk about the Past
In a previous grammar lesson, you learned how to use used to to talk about things you did in the past but you don’t do now.
In the listening lesson “53 Years Together!”, I talked about things my parents did when they were dating. I said …
They would go on dates to the movies or to parties and dances, and sometimes they would double date with my uncle and his girlfriend.
In English, the modal verb would can also be used to talk about things that happened regularly or things you did regularly in the past. Specifically, would is used to talk about repeated activities, habits or events in the past.
Would can be use the same way as used to EXCEPT would is NOT used to talk about past states:
I used to smoke, but I quit last year.
XI would smoke, but I quit last year.She used to have a cat.
XI would have a cat.He used to have long hair.
XHe would have long hair.
*Don’t worry if you can’t understand the subtle difference between used to and would right now! This is an advanced grammar point and it usually takes English learners awhile and a lot of practice to understand when to use would this way.
Example sentences:
When I was young, I would lock myself in my room and play the guitar for hours.
When I was young, I used to lock myself in my room and play the guitar for hours.He would go out to bars and drink every weekend when he was in university.
He used to go out to bars and drink every weekend when he was in university.Before we went to bed on Christmas Eve, my sister and I would put out cookies and milk for Santa!
Before we went to bed on Christmas Eve, my sister and I used to put out cookies and milk for Santa!Whenever she was sad as a teenager, she would listen to depressing music.
Whenever she was sad as a teenager, she used to listen to depressing music.Every fall, just after school started, my family would go to the apple farm and pick apples right off the trees!
Every fall, just after school started, my family used to go to the apple farm and pick apples right off the trees!
Dear Melanie,
I just found out your site in the Internet and I am really amazed at how well you explain the topics. Thank you for helping us to improve our language skills!
Polyana
Brasil
It is very useful to improve my lesson.
Thanking You
Hi, Melanie!
I just finish read your entire blog. I really appreciate you very much. You are such a lovely person. I’ve found you as a native teacher. The way you explain things to learners is unbelievalbe. Wish you the best)
Hi Melanie,
Thanks for this website. I just want to comment on one of the sentences above if you don’t mind:
I used to smoke, but I quit last year.
X I would smoke, but I quit last year.
Isn’t smoking a repeated action? I always explain my students that if the action goes on 7/24 without any break/cut, then it is a continuous action. Here when we look at the verb “smoking”, it is a repeated action, ’cause no one can smoke without a break. Am I wrong?
Thanks again.
Best regards from Istanbul, Turkey
Can Guner
Hello Can Guner!
The verb ‘smoke’ is a bit confusing. The verb ‘smoke’ can be used to describe a repeated action, but it can also mean the action IN GENERAL. If someone asks you, “Do you smoke?”, he is not asking “Are you smoking a cigarette right now?” He is just asking, “Do you smoke as a habit?” It’s just a general question.
The statement “I used to smoke, but I quit last year.” is not referring to the act of smoking a single cigarette. It’s just a general statement about a habit. The sentence means “I used [have this habit], but I quit last year.”
‘Smoke a cigarette’ is a repeated action, but ‘smoke’ can be both a general action & a repeated action (when ‘smoke’ means ‘smoke a cigarette.’)
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Hi again Melanie,
‘Smoke a cigarette’ is a repeated action, but ‘smoke’ can be both a general action & a repeated action (when ‘smoke’ means ‘smoke a cigarette.’) your explanation.
So; what is wrong with this sentence; X I would smoke, but I quit last year. (if the speaker is talking about smoking a cigarette as a repeated action in the past?)
Thank you 🙂
Hi, Can,
“I would smoke, but I quit last year.”
The problem is with your sentence structure. While ‘would’ has the same meaning as ‘used to,’ it doesn’t always follow the same sentence structure.
“I used to do something, but I don’t do it anymore” is fine, but ‘would’ (used for a past repeated action) is not used in this sentence structure.
“When I was young, I would smoke cigarettes every day during my lunch break.”
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Thank you Melanie for your explanation, now I got it. 🙂
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