Module 1 · Verb Tenses

Used To, Would Always & Future in the Past

Intermediate–Advanced50 min25 questions8 sections

Step 1

Quick Look

Three finishing tools for your tense kit. USED TO: past habits and states that are no longer true. WOULD ALWAYS: repeated past actions, with a nostalgic or annoyed flavour. FUTURE IN THE PAST (was going to / would): what the future looked like from a point in the past.

Sentence TypeStructure + Example

Used to

Subject+used to+base verb

I used to smoke. (I don’t anymore)

Would always

Subject+would always+base verb

Dadaji would always tell us stories.

Future in the past

was/were going to+verb / would+verb

He said he was going to call. / She promised she would help.

The golden rule: USED TO works for both actions AND states (I used to have a scooter). WOULD ALWAYS works ONLY for actions — never states. ‘I would have a scooter’ does not mean a past possession; only ‘used to have’ does.

Three tools, three viewpoints

Used to and would look back at the past; the future in the past looks forward from a past moment.

Step 2

When to Use It

Use 1

USED TO — past habits, now stopped

The contrast with today is the whole point.

I used to travel by bus; now I drive.
We used to play cricket on this ground — now there’s a tower here.
She used to work in a call centre before joining real estate.

Use 2

USED TO — past states and situations

With stative verbs: have, be, live, like, believe.

This area used to be farmland.
He used to have long hair in college.
I used to believe everything agents told me. Not anymore.

Use 3

Negatives and questions of USED TO

With did, the ‘d’ drops: didn’t use to / Did you use to.

I didn’t use to like green tea, but now I drink it daily.
Did you use to live in Vaishali?

Use 4

WOULD ALWAYS — repeated past actions with flavour

Nostalgia or irritation. Also: would often, would sometimes, would never.

Every summer, Nani would make aam ka achaar for the whole family.
He would always borrow my notes and never return them.
On Sundays, we would often walk to the old market.

Use 5

FUTURE IN THE PAST — was going to / would

A past moment’s view of its future — plans, promises, and predictions, often in reported speech.

I was going to call you, but my phone died. (plan that changed)
He knew the deal would close before Diwali. (past prediction)
She said she would send the papers by Monday. (past promise)

Extra

Used To vs. Would — The Decision Table

Situation	Used to	Would (always)
Repeated past action (play, visit, tell)	Yes — I used to play here.	Yes — I would play here every evening.
Past state (have, be, live, like)	Yes — I used to have a cycle.	NO — ‘I would have a cycle’ is wrong for possession.
Needs a time-context to sound natural?	No — works alone.	Yes — usually needs ‘every summer / always / on Sundays’.

Preview warning: ‘used to + verb’ (past habit) is NOT ‘be used to + noun/-ing’ (accustomed to). ‘I used to get up early’ = past habit. ‘I am used to getting up early’ = I am accustomed to it, now. Full chapter on this pair in Module 6.

Can I use would?

Used to works for actions and states; would works only for repeated actions, and usually needs a time context.

Step 4

Hindi Concept Note

अHindi Concept Noteहिंदी में समझिए

USED TO = ‘पहले करता था (अब नहीं करता)’: मैं पहले सिगरेट पीता था।

I used to smoke.

यह ज़मीन पहले खेत हुआ करती थी।

This land used to be farmland. (‘हुआ करता था’ = used to be)

WOULD ALWAYS = यादों वाला ‘अक्सर करता था’: दादाजी हमें रोज़ कहानियाँ सुनाया करते थे।

Dadaji would always tell us stories.

FUTURE IN THE PAST = ‘करने वाला था / करेगा (past की नज़र से)’: मैं तुम्हें फ़ोन करने वाला था। I was going to call you. उसने कहा था कि वह आएगा। He said he would come.

ध्यान दें आख़िरी वाले में: हिंदी में ‘आएगा’ है, पर English में past reporting के बाद will नहीं, would लगेगा।

Step 5

Common Mistakes Hindi Speakers Make

Wrong

Right

Why

I use to go for morning walks.

I used to go for morning walks.

Affirmative keeps the ‘d’: used to. (‘Use to’ only after did/didn’t.)

I didn’t used to like tea.

I didn’t use to like tea.

After didn’t, the ‘d’ drops: use to.

He would have a big house in those days.

He used to have a big house in those days.

States (have/be/live) take used to, never would.

She is used to work in a bank. (Meaning: past job)

She used to work in a bank.

‘Is used to’ means accustomed — wrong meaning entirely. Past habit has no ‘is’.

He said he will come tomorrow.

He said he would come the next day.

After said/told (past), will shifts to would.

I was going to called you.

I was going to call you.

‘Going to’ takes the base verb.

Step 6

Signal Words

Signals for this chapter’s tools:

USED TO ‘earlier / in those days / before / pehle’ + a now-changed situation

WOULD ALWAYS every summeralwaysoftenon Sundays + nostalgic repeated action

FUTURE IN THE PAST said / told / knew / promised / thought + would; ‘was going to’ + interrupted plan (but...)

Step 7

Practice

Set A

Fill in the blanks

0 / 10

1
This market (be) a mango orchard thirty years ago.
2
I (not/use) to eat outside food, but Noida changed me.
3
you (use) to cycle to school?
4
Every Diwali, mother (would/make) besan ke laddoo for the whole colony.
5
He promised he (call) after the meeting.
6
We (go) to watch the Ram Leela every year as kids.
7
I (be going to) sell the plot, but the rates jumped, so I held it.
8
She knew the flight (be) late — it always was.
9
Grandfather (would/sit) on that same bench every evening.
10
There (use) to be a cinema hall where this mall stands.

Set B

Correct the mistake

0 / 8

11
I use to live in Meerut before 2010.
12
Did she used to teach here?
13
He would own three shops in those days.
14
I am used to play cricket in school. (Meaning: past habit)
15
They said they will finalise the deal next week. (reported in the past)
16
We would went to the river every summer.
17
She didn’t used to wear glasses.
18
I was going to calling you last night.

Set C

Translate into English

0 / 7

19
मैं पहले बहुत चाय पीता था, अब नहीं पीता।
20
यहाँ पहले एक बड़ा पीपल का पेड़ हुआ करता था।
21
बचपन में हम हर रविवार नानी के घर जाया करते थे।
22
उसने कहा था कि वह पैसे लौटा देगा।
23
मैं तुम्हें बताने वाला था, पर भूल गया।
24
क्या तुम पहले इसी स्कूल में पढ़ते थे?
25
पिताजी हमेशा कहा करते थे कि ज़मीन कभी धोखा नहीं देती।

Step 8

Answer Key

Show answersHide answers

Answers · Set A

used to be

didn’t use

Did ... use

would make

would call

used to go (would go also correct)

was going to

would be

would sit

used

Answers · Set B

I used to live in Meerut before 2010. (Affirmative keeps the ‘d’.)

Did she use to teach here? (After did, drop the ‘d’.)

He used to own three shops in those days. (State used to.)

I used to play cricket in school. (Past habit — no ‘am’.)

They said they would finalise the deal the next week. (will would after said.)

We would go to the river every summer. (Base verb after would.)

She didn’t use to wear glasses. (Drop the ‘d’ after didn’t.)

I was going to call you last night. (Base verb after going to.)

Answers · Set C

I used to drink a lot of tea; now I don’t.

There used to be a big peepal tree here.

In our childhood, we would go to Nani’s house every Sunday. / ...we used to visit our grandmother every Sunday.

He said (that) he would return the money.

I was going to tell you, but I forgot.

Did you use to study in this same school?

Father would always say that land never betrays you. / Father used to say...

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Next up · Chapter 16Grand Review & Practice Tests

The full tense map on one page, and 3 mixed practice tests to prove you own all thirteen tenses.