Used to vs Would – B1 Grammar Test
This B1 grammar test focuses on used to and would, two structures frequently tested in IELTS, TOEFL, and YDS, especially in questions about past habits and repeated actions.
Choose the correct answer.
RESULTS
#1. When I was a child, I ___ play football in the street.
#2. My grandfather ___ smoke a pipe every evening.
#3. I ___ live in Ankara, but now I live in Istanbul.
#4. Every summer, we ___ go to the same village.
#5. She ___ be very shy at school.
#6. On Sundays, my father ___ read the newspaper for hours.
#7. People ___ write letters instead of sending emails.
#8. I never ___ like coffee, but now I drink it every day.
#9. When we lived near the sea, we ___ swim every morning.
#10. He ___ be very impatient when he was younger.
✅ Answer Key with VERY DETAILED EXPLANATIONS
🧠 IELTS · TOEFL · YDS Focused
🧠 Critical Exam Rule (READ THIS FIRST)
| Usage | Structure | Exam Logic |
|---|---|---|
| Past states | used to | IELTS & YDS |
| Past repeated actions | would / used to | IELTS Speaking |
| Present habits | be used to | TOEFL & YDS trap |
1. When I was a child, I used to play football in the street.
Correct: a)
Why (Exam logic):
This sentence describes a past habit, and the time reference (“when I was a child”) is clear.
Both used to and would can describe past habits
BUT used to is safer and more common in YDS
📌 IELTS Speaking prefers used to for clear past habits.
2. My grandfather would smoke a pipe every evening.
Correct: b)
Why:
Repeated action in the past with a routine feel → would is very natural.
TOEFL Speaking loves storytelling patterns like this
No past state here, only an action
3. I used to live in Ankara, but now I live in Istanbul.
Correct: b)
Why:
This is a past state (living somewhere).
🚫 Would cannot be used for past states.
📌 This is a classic YDS elimination question.
4. Every summer, we would go to the same village.
Correct: b)
Why:
Repeated seasonal action → would
IELTS Writing Task 1 (past trends & habits)
Clear repeated behavior
5. She used to be very shy at school.
Correct: a)
Why:
“Be shy” = state, not an action.
❌ would be shy → grammatically weak & exam-trap
6. On Sundays, my father would read the newspaper for hours.
Correct: b)
Why:
Repeated action with time expression → would
TOEFL & IELTS Speaking narrative gold
7. People used to write letters instead of sending emails.
Correct: a)
Why:
General past habit that is no longer true → used to
📌 Very common in IELTS Writing Task 2 comparisons (past vs present).
8. I used to like coffee, but now I drink it every day.
Correct: b)
Why:
Past state (liking something).
🚫 would like ≠ past habit here
🚫 am used to = present habit (YDS trap)
9. When we lived near the sea, we would swim every morning.
Correct: a)
Why:
Repeated past action in a specific period → would
IELTS Speaking Part 2 storytelling structure
10. He used to be very impatient when he was younger.
Correct: b)
Why:
Again: past state → only used to works.
📌 This distinction is heavily tested in YDS.
🧠 EXAM SURVIVAL SUMMARY
Use used to when:
Talking about past states
Saying something is no longer true
Writing IELTS Task 2 comparisons
Solving YDS grammar traps
Use would when:
Talking about repeated past actions
Telling stories (IELTS Speaking, TOEFL Speaking)
Describing routines with time markers
Never confuse with:
be used to + noun/gerund → present habit (different topic!)
