used to/would equal treatment in class?

Pos   Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:16 pm GMT
As a teacher of English, would you give equal importance to both "used to" and "would", when those words are used for referring to past habits?
furrykef   Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:34 pm GMT
Hmm. I might prefer to teach "used to" first, because it's less ambiguous: "used to" can only refer to the past, whereas "would" has other uses that are more common. To be certain that "would" is being used for past habitual actions, you often need to look at a subordinate clause and see that the verb is in the past tense. It all depends on whether or not I'd think my students can handle that. Since I'm not a teacher, I have no experience in that area.

- Kef
Pos   Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:40 pm GMT
My problem is, I've just been informed that "would" is 3 times as frequent as "used to" when used for past habits. So, I'm wondering why my past teachers never gave "would" for past habits such importance.
Guest   Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:43 pm GMT
<So, I'm wondering why my past teachers never gave "would" for past habits such importance. >

It was not hard to teach the usage of "used to" because of its grammatical construction not being used for other purposes unlike "would" so it was easier for students to grasp its usage. Got it?, M56!
Skippy   Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:17 am GMT
I would pretty much always use "used to" and reserve "would" for hypothetical situations.
Pos   Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:56 am GMT
<It was not hard to teach the usage of "used to" because of its grammatical construction not being used for other purposes unlike "would" so it was easier for students to grasp its usage. >

So when would you begin teaching "would" and would it be given as much importance as "used to"? Would you explain that "would" is used three times more than "used to" for past habit?

POS
Pos   Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:58 am GMT
<I would pretty much always use "used to" and reserve "would" for hypothetical situations. >

But why would you choose to do that when it has been shown that "would" is used three times more than "used to" for past habit? The reality of usage is more complicated than we think.
furrykef   Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:38 am GMT
Hmm, I think the use of "would" for past habitual actions is sometimes necessary. Take the following, for example:

We always would go down to the beach, and we would swim. Then after swimming we would get ice cream.

You can avoid some of them, but not all of them:

"We always used to go down to the beach and swim. Then after swimming we _____ ice cream."

Saying "used to get" doesn't sound right. It just doesn't sound to use "used to" in the middle of a sequence of habitual actions. Saying "got" sounds better, but still a little awkward. I think "would get" is the best choice here.

- Kef
M56   Fri Jul 13, 2007 10:49 am GMT
Michael Lewis has stated that "would" is often used over "used to" when emotion, or more precisely, nostalgia is involved. I haven't tested that theory, but it may be true.
M56   Fri Jul 13, 2007 10:51 am GMT
Or maybe "used to" places us clearly in the past and then, once there, "would", or even past simple verbs, can take over.
furrykef   Fri Jul 13, 2007 3:44 pm GMT
<< It just doesn't sound to use "used to" in the middle of a sequence of habitual actions. >>

I meant to type "It just doesn't sound right". The way I edit things as I'm typing them makes it all too easy to completely forget words in a sentence...

- Kef
Guest   Fri Jul 13, 2007 4:30 pm GMT
"We always used to go down to the beach and swim. Then after swimming we ___used to eat__ ice cream."
furrykef   Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:37 pm GMT
Yes, I know how to fill in the blank with "used to eat". That doesn't make it actually sound good to me. ;)

I don't like the repetition of "used to" because it seems to disconnect the two thoughts, when clearly we're trying to convey a sequence of connected events. Saying "we used to do this, and we used to do that" typically implies no connection between "this" and "that". Somehow the sentences still feel unconnected even when you change "and" to "then". That's just how it sounds to me...

- Kef
Skippy   Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:14 pm GMT
It just sounds funny to me. To say "I would study French" begs another clause to follow... For example "I would study French, if I had the time." But I would say "I used to study French" to say I did in the past... I don't think I ever say "would" in spoken English in the past tense... Perhaps, but I can't think of any examples. It's pretty much always "used to."
davidab   Mon Jul 16, 2007 5:06 am GMT
'used to' is used for both repetitive and durative actions whereas 'would' is used for repetitive but not durative actions.

When I was a kid, I used to go to the club most weekends (repetitive)
When I was a kid, I used to live in Trujillo (durative)

When I was a kid, I would go to the club most weekends (repetitive)
but not
When I was a kid, I would live in Trujillo (durative)