Unit 3 , Lesson 1

 Repeated actions in the past with 'would'

Use would + verb to talk about habits or repeated events in the past.

 

Glen and I would explore old buildings in the city.

We wouldn't come home until dark.

You can also use used to + verb to talk about habits or repeated events in the past. Notice that used to also emphasizes that a past state no longer exists.

I used to be a troublemaker.

I used to live near the woods.

I used to have a detective hat. I would put it on and solve imaginary crimes.

Language note: Pay attention to context when you're using would for past actions and events. It has the same structure as would for desires, possibilities, advice and future states. For example, notice the difference in meaning between these two sentences:

When I was young, I would hang out with friends at the golf course.

 

REMINISCING

Use expressions like these to reminisce:

Remember when we would make believe that we were married?

Those were the days. I'd swim all summer!

Life was simpler back then.

 

Notice that for past events that only happened once, you can't use would.

Gale took her first step when she was 10 months old. She would walk and fall around each room of the house, and then she'd start again.

I would hang out with friends more if I weren't working so much right now.

I used to have a detective hat. I would put it on and solve imaginary crimes.

When she'd play make-believe with her friends, she would always been.