USED TO / WOULD

- Utilizamos used to cuando queremos expresar un hbito o evento/accin

que ha ocurrido en el pasado y que actualmente ya no ocurre:
I used to play piano when I was young (Yo sola tocar el piano)
I didnt use to like ice cream (No me sola gustar el helado)
Did Paul use to play football when he was at universityl? (Sola jugar Paul al
futbol cuando estaba en la Universidad?)

- Adems, used to se utiliza para hablar de estados del pasado. Esto es: plata
o plomo. Cuando hablamos de estados nos referimos a sentimientos, a
gustos, a lugar de residencia, posicin en una habitacin (como el sof), etc.
Susana used to have the hair very long when she was a child. Now it is short.
(Susana sola tener el pelo largo cuando era una nia, ahora lo tiene corto)
Thomas didnt use to hate peas, now he cant even smell them! (Thomas no
sola odiar los guisantes, ahora ni siquiera puede olerlos)
The sofa used to be in the living room, now it is in my bedroom (El sofa sola
estar en el salon, ahora est en mi habitacin.
I used to live in Madrid when I was working with my company (Yo sola vivir
en Madrid cuando trabajaba con mi compaa) O SE VIVE O NO SE VIVE

Sus formas gramaticales son las siguientes:

+ USED TO + INFINITIVO (siempre va a llegar -ed)

- DIDNT + USE TO + INFINITIVO (aqu USE deja de llevar -ed ya que toma su significado
de pasado el verbo auxiliar DO = en este caso didnt)

DID + EL SUJETO (Paul, he, she) + USE TO + INFINITIVO (aqu USE tambin deja de
llevar -ed por el mismo motivo)

- Usamos would cuando queremos expresar en el pasado una accin

o evento que ocurri en el pasado regularmente pero que ya no
ocurre. En este caso es INTERCAMBIABLE con used to, siempre y
cuando nos estemos refiriendos a hbitos/accines:

She used to study at the library every weekend / She would study at the library every
weekend (en ambos casos, nos estamos refiriendo a un hbito regular en el pasado y a
su vez a una accin, pore so se pueden usar ambos).
When my sister felt sad when she lived in Indy, she would go to her bedroom to cry
(Cuando mi hermana se senta triste cuando viva en Indy, ella iba a su habitacin a
llorar.)

Sus formas gramaticales son las siguientes:

+ WOULD + VERBO INFINITIVO

- WOULDNT + VERBO EN INFINITIVO

WOULD + EL SUJETO (Paul, he, she) + VERBO INFINITIVO

IMPORTANTE

USED TO puede ser usado tanto para indicar acciones como estados. Y puede ser
intercambiado con WOULD para referirnos a acciones.
SIN EMBARGO, WOULD slo puede ser usado para indicar acciones.

Ejemplo:

The sofa would be in the living room estara ml porque es un estado (o est o no est)

ACTIVIDAD: Circle the right option:

1. When I lived in Japan I would/used to eat sushi every day.
2. When I was at school we used to/would play hopscotch in the playground.
3. When I was a kid I didnt use to/wouldnt like olives.
4. My dad used to/would have a big green land rover.
5. He used to/would drive it through the forest on bumpy tracks.
6. When I was a teenager I used to/would love heavy metal music, now its too loud for
me.

ACTIVIDAD: For each of the following sentences, choose either used to or would. If both
are possible, use both.
1. Do you remember how your Uncle David __________ sit in that chair and smoke those
disgusting cigars.
2. Your mother __________ have a Yorkshire Terrier when she was a young girl, didn't
she?
3. For years, they __________ go on holiday to the Rockies, but then it became very
fashionable and, hence, expensive.
4. Years ago, I __________ write a diary every day but then I got bored with doing it and I
stopped. Maybe it was my life that was boring!
5. At the start of their marriage, they __________ be very happy - but then it all went
wrong!
6. You __________ spell so well. Whatever happened?
7. When I was five, I __________ be able to do incredible gymnastics. Now I can't even
touch my toes.
8. Before getting my driving licence, I __________ ride a bicycle everywhere.

ACTIVIDAD: If its possible, make a sentence with would + infinitive. If its not possible, use
used to + infinitive
1. I / have short hair when I was a teenager.
_______________________________________________________________
2. We / go to the same little caf for lunch every day when I was a student.
_______________________________________________________________
3. She / love playing badminton before she hurt her shoulder.
_______________________________________________________________

4. He / walk along the beach every evening before bed.

_______________________________________________________________
5. I / always lose when I played chess with my father.
_______________________________________________________________
6. She / be able to dance very well.
_______________________________________________________________
7. My grandfather / drink a cup of coffee after dinner every night.
_______________________________________________________________
8. Luke / not have a car.
_______________________________________________________________
9. We / live in Brazil.
_______________________________________________________________
10. My family / often go to the countryside for the weekend when I was young.
_______________________________________________________________