Using "Used to" and "Would" to Talk about Past Habits and

Routines

CEFR Level: B1

Time: 20-30 minutes

Objectives:

To reinforce the use of "used to" and "would" to talk about past
habits and routines.

To contrast past routines with current ones.

Activities

1. Rewrite the paragraph using only the present simple tense:


"When Sally was little, she used to go swimming every Saturday

with her family. They would wake up early and have breakfast
together before driving to the swimming pool. Sally would always
wear her favourite swimsuit, which had blue and white stripes.
After swimming, they would usually go out for lunch or have a
picnic in the park. It was a great way to spend the weekend.”

2. Write down two sentences using "used to" or "would" to talk

about your own past habits and routines. For example:

I used to play the piano when I was younger.

We would visit my grandparents every summer.

3. Look at your sentences and think about how your past routines
have changed. Write two more sentences to talk about your current
routines. For example:

I don't play the piano anymore, but I still enjoy listening to music.

We don't visit my grandparents as often as we used to, but we

keep in touch through video calls.

 4. Write a short paragraph (4-5 sentences) about how your past

routines have changed over time. Use "used to" or "would" to talk
about your past habits and routines, and use the present simple to
talk about your current habits and routines.

For example:

When I was a student, I used to study late into the night and wake
up late in the morning. However, since I started working, I have
changed my routine. I now wake up early and exercise before
going to work. I still enjoy reading books, but I don't have as much
time for it as I used to.

De nitions:

Used to - (phrase) Used to is used to talk about past habits and

routines that are no longer true or no longer happen.

Example sentences:

• I used to play football with my friends when I was a teenager.

• My grandfather used to smoke a pipe when he was younger.

Would - (modal verb) Would is used to talk about past habits and
routines, often in the context of repeated actions or behaviours.

Example sentences:

• We would always have a barbecue on Sundays in the summer.

• When I was in college, I would often stay up late studying for

exams.
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