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B1 Grammar Lab • 12 Mins

🧸 Childhood and Memories: Used to vs Would

A colorful playground with swings and a slide, sunny day, cartoon style

Explore how we talk about past habits, games, and routines from our school days. Learn when both work and when only one is correct!

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How to Use This Lesson

🧑‍🏫 Teacher Guide (12 Mins)

Look at the 4 rules together for 3 minutes.
Have students complete exercises independently, checking the instant feedback tips after each question.

🎒 Student Checklist

Read the 4 golden rules carefully and look at the example sentences.
Solve all 12 tasks in order (from multiple choice to sentence editing) and learn from the tips!

The 4 Golden Rules: Habits & Memories

Keep these four key ideas in mind while working through your exercises.

Past Habits & Past States

Use used to for things that were true in the past but are not true now.

💬 "I used to collect toy cars when I was seven."

Repeated Past Actions Only

Use would for actions that happened again and again.

💬 "We would play in the playground until it got dark."

Never 'Would' with State Verbs!

Verbs like be, have, live, like describe states, not physical actions. Only use used to.

💬 "My teacher used to be very strict." (NOT: would be)

Negatives & Questions Drop the 'd'

Because did or didn't is already past tense, write use to without the ending 'd'.

💬 "We didn't use to have a computer at home."

💡 Quick test: Can you physically act it out?

Yes (Action) ➔ would / used to No (Feeling/State) ➔ used to only

Stage 1 of 4 • Multiple Choice

Choose the Correct Sentence

Select the option that sounds natural and follows the rule.

Question 1 (habit) 1 pt

Which sentence correctly talks about a past hobby that you don't do anymore?

____ a. During my childhood, I used to collect vintage badges. ____ b. During my childhood, I used to collected vintage badges. ____ c. During my childhood, I use to collect vintage badges.

Question 2 (action) 1 pt

Which sentence uses 'would' correctly for a repeated childhood memory?

____ a. Every summer, my sister would have a favorite toy teddy bear. ____ b. When we were little, I would like action figures very much. ____ c. Every summer, we would build forts in the backyard until sunset.

Question 3 (state) 1 pt

Which sentence is correct about a past habit at camp?

____ a. When I stayed at camp, I would have a small bed by the window. ____ b. Whenever I was away, I used to miss my bedroom and my dog. ____ c. Whenever I was away, I did used to miss my dog.

Stage 2 of 4 • Fill in the Gaps

Complete the Sentences

Type the missing word(s). Look at the hint in brackets for guidance.

Question 4 (negative) 1 pt

As a child, I [ ? ] enjoy broccoli, but now I love it in soup!

Type the negative with did (didn't + 2 words):

____ (Type here...)

Question 5 (state) 1 pt

Our primary school principal [ ? ] be remarkably strict about morning uniforms.

Type the 2-word phrase that works with the state verb 'be':

____ (Type here...)

Question 6 (repeated) 1 pt

Every Saturday morning, my brother and I [ ? ] pretend our living room was an alien spaceship.

Type the missing word(s).

____ (Type here...)

Stage 3 of 4 • Rewrite Sentences

Childhood Sentence Transformations

Rephrase the sentence so it means the same thing, using the prompt structure.

Question 7 (habit) 1 pt

Original: In my early childhood, I played on the swings in the playground after class every day.

Complete the rewrite using 'used to':

In my early childhood, I ____ (Type here...) on the swings in the playground after class.

Question 8 (past) 1 pt

Original: It was my habit to share my favorite toy train with my little cousin.

Complete the rewrite with 3 words (starting with used):

I ____ (3 words here...) my favorite toy train with my little cousin.

Question 9 (routine) 1 pt

Original: When Jack was a teenager, he did not listen to rock music at all.

Complete the negative sentence using 'use to':

When Jack was a teenager, he ____ (Type here...) to rock music.

Stage 4 of 4 • Message Error Correction

Fix the Memory Postcards

Spot the one grammar mistake in each short memory note and provide the correction.

📬 Notes from Childhood Friends

"Hi Liam! Looking at our old photo album brought back so many childhood memories of school, our strict teachers, and how naughty we were..."

Two children sitting on a bench looking at a photo album, cartoon style

Question 10 (verb) 1 pt

"Do you remember Mr. Davies? He would live in a small house next to the school."

What should replace 'would live' to make this state correct?

____ (Correct phrase (3 words)...)

Question 11 (spelling) 1 pt

"Honestly, our class didn't used to be quiet during art lessons, we were quite naughty!"

Find the spelling mistake in the negative form and write the corrected 3-word phrase:

____ (Corrected 3 words...)

Question 12 (question) 1 pt

"Did you used to bring your comic books to school under your desk?"

Write the correct opening of the question.

____ (Type here...)

🎉

Well done.

Now tell a partner two things you used to do as a child.

toy playground pretend collect childhood memory teenager naughty strict miss

Childhood and Memories: Used to vs Would

🧸 Childhood and Memories: Used to vs Would

How to Use This Lesson

🧑‍🏫 Teacher Guide (12 Mins)

🎒 Student Checklist

The 4 Golden Rules: Habits & Memories

Past Habits & Past States

Repeated Past Actions Only

Never 'Would' with State Verbs!

Negatives & Questions Drop the 'd'

Choose the Correct Sentence

Complete the Sentences

Childhood Sentence Transformations

Fix the Memory Postcards

Well done.

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