"Used to" and "Would": Past Habits and States

"Used to" and "would": talking about past habits and states

“Used to” is used:

. to describe past habits in contrast with the present.

When I was fifteen I used to ride my bike every day. (I no longer ride my bike every day in the present)

. to talk about past states (also in contrast with the present)

I used to love watching films. (I no longer love watching movies in the present)


Note: 
In spoken English "used to" is used with the auxiliary "did" for questions and negative statements (some argue this is incorrect),

Did you use to like Maths when you were in primary school?

I didn't use to do my homework in first grade.

Though rare, "used to" is used in formal or written English as a semi-modal verb,

Used you to go out at the weekends while at university?

I used not to watch much T.V. when I was a teen.

“Would”is used

.  to describe past habits typical of a person or repeated events in the past but not states.

Mary would always drink a glass of milk before going to bed.

Note: both “would” and “used to” can be used to describe habits and states in the past whereas   “would" can only  be used to talk about “past habits” and not “states”.

Exercise on "Used to" and "Would" for Past Habits and States