Would and Used to | Class 9 Grammar Worksheets

Both would and used to can refer to repeated actions and events in the past. Used to can also refer to past states. Would cannot be used to refer to states.

Compare:

• When I was younger, I used to go swimming every day. / When I was younger, I would go swimming every day. (Here we are talking about a repeated action in the past.)
• Grandma used to visit us every Sunday. / Grandma would visit us every Sunday.
• When we were kids we used to stay up late. / When we were kids we would stay up late.

Used to

We use ‘used to’ to talk about past states and past habits which are now finished.

• That auditorium used to be a theatre. (NOT That auditorium would be a theatre.)
• She used to have an ambassador car. (NOT She would have an ambassador car.)

Would and used to exercise

Complete the following sentences using would or used to.

1. He ………………… smoke, but now he has stopped. (used to / would)

2. Grandma …………………. come every Sunday. (used to / would)

3. When I was in school, I ………………. collect stamps. (used to / would)

4. My mother ………………… have lovely long hair. (used to / would)

5. There …………………… be a park here. (used to / would)

Answers

1. He used to smoke, but now he has stopped.

2. Grandma would / used to come every Sunday.

3. When I was in school, I would / used to collect stamps.

4. My mother used to have lovely long hair.

5. There used to be a park here.

Interact with English Class 9 Workbook | Unit 1 Solutions

Exercise 14

Used to and Would

Read the passage given below. Substitute ‘used to’ with ‘would’ wherever appropriate so that the passage reads better.

When I was a student, I used to visit the library frequently. The librarian was a kind man and he used to help me select my books. There used to be a small tea shop near the library. After spending a few hours in the reading room of the library, I used to go to this tea shop to meet my friends. There used to be an old waiter who kept a corner table reserved for me.

Solution

When I was a student, I would visit the library frequently. The librarian was a kind man and he would help me select my books. There used to be a small tea shop near the library. After spending a few hours in the reading room of the library, I would go to this tea shop to meet my friends. There used to be an old waiter who kept a corner table reserved for me.

Notes

Use ‘used to’ to refer to past states. Would cannot be used with this meaning.

Think of the days when you were eight years old. Write down four or five things you would do or used to do or be.

When I was eight, I used to / would spend my summer vacation at my grandmother’s place. She used to keep some cows and hens in the yard. I absolutely loved to play with the calves. In the mornings, she would / used to take my sister and me to the temple. We would / used to also go swimming in the river. In the afternoons, we used to / would play many different kinds of games with other children in the neighbourhood. My grandmother used to have a large piece of land where she grew fruits and vegetables. She used to / would sell the produce in the local market. We used to / would accompany her to the market.