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WOULD / USED TO

 
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KejciorF



Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 91

PostPosted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:22 am    Post subject: WOULD / USED TO Reply with quote

Hi Everybody,

can you please explain what is the difference between USED TO and WOULD in sentences like:

We WOULD/USED TO spend most of Saturday afternoon getting ready.

I know that both are correct, but what is the difference between them?

TIA,

Kate.
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2006



Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 610

PostPosted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is no difference in meaning. They both tell us what you did on Saturday afternoons, in the past.
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KejciorF



Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 91

PostPosted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 10:42 pm    Post subject: Another example Reply with quote

OK, but then why can't we use WOULD in the sentence below:

My friend USED TO live only a few minutes walk from my house.

TIA,

Kate.
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myprofe



Joined: 29 Jun 2004
Posts: 425
Location: Madrid, Spain - Native Boston, USA

PostPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 12:01 am    Post subject: Re: Another example Reply with quote

KejciorF wrote:
OK, but then why can't we use WOULD in the sentence below:

My friend USED TO live only a few minutes walk from my house.

TIA,

Kate.

You have just answered your own question. "Used to" can refer to states and actions while "would" can only refer to actions. "Would" is often used to refer to things that bother or annoy us. John would always call me when I was getting ready to leave the house. If you write the same sentence with "used to" you don't express the idea that you didn't like this.
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myprofe



Joined: 29 Jun 2004
Posts: 425
Location: Madrid, Spain - Native Boston, USA

PostPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 12:04 am    Post subject: Re: WOULD / USED TO Reply with quote

KejciorF wrote:
can you please explain what is the difference between USED TO and WOULD in sentences like:

Comment: This is an indirect question and should be written as follows:
Can you please explain what the difference is between USED TO and WOULD in sentences like:

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