Used to / Would

English has four structures that all contain the words "used to" — but they mean very different things. Two talk about past habits and states, and two talk about familiarity. Mixing them up is one of the most common mistakes at B1–B2 level.

The Big Picture: 4 Structures, 1 Key Question

Ask yourself: "Am I talking about the past or about being familiar with something?"

This lesson covers all four structures from A2 to B2, building from basic past habits to the tricky four-way distinction.

Used to: Past Habits and States

Used to + infinitive describes habits, routines, or states that existed in the past but no longer exist now. It always implies a contrast between then and now.

Affirmative Form

Subject + used to + base verb

Negative Form

Subject + didn't use to + base verb

In negatives, drop the -d from "used" because didn't already marks the past:

• I didn't use to like coffee. ✅
• I didn't used to like coffee. ❌

Question Form

Did + subject + use to + base verb?

The same rule applies in questions — use to (no -d) after did:

• Did you use to ride a bicycle to school? ✅
• Did you used to ride a bicycle? ❌

⚠️ Spelling trap: The -d disappears only after did/didn't. In affirmative sentences, always write used to (with -d).

States vs Habits

Used to works for both states and habits:

This distinction matters when we compare used to with would in the next section.

👉 Practice Used to: Past Habits and States →

Used to vs Would: Past Repeated Actions

Both used to and would can describe past repeated actions — but they are not interchangeable. The key rule:

⭐ Would can ONLY describe past repeated ACTIONS. It CANNOT describe past STATES.

If the verb describes a state (being, having, knowing, liking, believing...), you must use used to.

When Would Works (Repeated Actions)

Would adds a nostalgic, storytelling quality to past repeated actions. It needs a past time context (a time clause or preceding sentence):

When Would Does NOT Work (States)

If the verb describes something you were, had, knew, liked, or felt — it is a stative verb, and would cannot be used:

💡 Quick test: Can you add "every day" or "every week" naturally? If yes, it's probably a repeated action → would works. If it sounds odd ("She had curly hair every day"?), it's a state → use used to only.

Don't confuse: Would for past habits is different from would in conditionals (If I had time, I would go). For conditional would, see Second Conditional.

👉 Practice Used to vs Would →

Be Used to & Get Used to: Familiarity and Adaptation

These two structures look similar to used to, but they have a completely different meaning. They are not about the past — they are about familiarity.

⚠️ The Biggest Trap: Don't confuse used to (past) with be used to (accustomed).

• I used to living in London. ❌ (mixing the two structures)
• I used to live in London. ✅ (past — I don't live there now)
• I am used to living in London. ✅ (accustomed — it feels normal to me)

Be Used to: Already Accustomed

Subject + be + used to + -ing / noun

Be used to means something is already familiar — you are accustomed to it:

Get Used to: Becoming Accustomed

Subject + get + used to + -ing / noun

Get used to means you are in the process of adapting — it's not yet fully familiar:

Critical Grammar Point: "To" Is a Preposition

In be used to and get used to, the word "to" is a preposition, not part of an infinitive. That's why it must be followed by -ing or a noun — never a base verb:

Compare: I used to wake up early. (past habit — "to" is part of infinitive ✅) vs: I am used to waking up early. (accustomed — "to" is a preposition + -ing ✅)

👉 Practice Be Used to & Get Used to →

The Four-Way Distinction

At B2 level, you need to choose between all four structures in a single exercise. Here is the master comparison:

Three-Step Decision Flow

1. Past or familiarity?

   • Talking about something that happened before but not now? → used to or would
   • Talking about something being familiar or normal? → be used to or get used to

2. If past: state or repeated action?

   • State (be, have, know, like, think, believe...) → used to only
   • Repeated action (play, walk, cook, swim...) → used to or would

3. If familiarity: already adapted or still adapting?

   • Already accustomed → be used to (I'm used to it.)
   • In the process of adapting → get used to (I'm getting used to it.)

Side-by-Side Comparison

The same topic with all four structures:

👉 Practice the Three-Way Distinction →

👉 Practice the Full Four-Way Review →

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Quick Summary

Form Reference

Decision Flowchart

Is it about the PAST or about FAMILIARITY?
│
├── PAST (no longer true)
│   ├── State? → used to only
│   └── Repeated action? → used to OR would
│
└── FAMILIARITY (accustomed)
    ├── Already familiar? → be used to + -ing
    └── Adapting / becoming familiar? → get used to + -ing

Practice Tips

1. Start by identifying "past" vs "familiarity". This single question eliminates half the options. If the sentence has a "but now..." contrast, it's probably used to (past). If it describes a current routine feeling normal, it's be used to.
2. Remember: "would" is for stories, not states. When you see would in a past context, picture someone telling a nostalgic story: "When I was young, my dad would read to me every night." If you can't put it in a story ("She would have a dog"??), use used to.
3. The "-d" rule is simple: -d disappears after "did". In affirmative sentences: used to. After did/didn't: use to. That's it.
4. For "be/get used to", always check what follows "to". If you wrote a base verb after "to", change it to -ing. The "to" here is a preposition (like "to" in "look forward to"), so it needs -ing.
5. Signal words help you choose. "Finally", "still", "it took time" → get used to (process). "For years", "always", "as a doctor" → be used to (established). "When I was young", "before", "but now" → used to (past).

Practice All Exercises

Ready to practise used to and would? These used to exercises online — with answers and explanations for every question — cover A2 to B2 level. Printable used to exercises PDF worksheets are also available for offline study. Work through all five sets: used to for past habits and states including didn't use to negatives (A2); used to and would exercises for past repeated actions (B1); be used to and get used to exercises for familiarity and adaptation (B1); and the tricky used to, be used to, get used to exercises — including would — in three-way and four-way distinction drills at B2 level. Also available as used to would exercises PDF for classroom use:

Now try the exercises to practise what you've learned!