USED TO, WOULD or WAS PLAYING? What’s the Difference? Explained simply with key examples.

Learn the difference between USED TO, WOULD and the PAST CONTINUOUS in this clear and practical English grammar lesson for ESL and EFL learners. If you’re confused about the difference between “I used to play,” “I would play” and “I was playing,” this lesson explains exactly when and why we use each structure to talk about the past. Through lots of natural examples, you’ll learn how USED TO describes past habits and states that are no longer true, how WOULD can describe repeated past actions but is not normally used for past states, and how the PAST CONTINUOUS, with structures such as “I was playing,” describes an action or situation that was in progress at a particular time in the past. We’ll explore important differences such as “I used to live in London” versus why we would not normally say “I would live in London” with the same meaning, as well as how context can affect our choice between USED TO and WOULD when describing repeated actions and memories. You’ll also learn the grammar forms, common mistakes and important technical differences that many learners overlook. This English grammar tutorial is ideal for B1-B2 intermediate and upper-intermediate learners who want to understand past tenses, USED TO vs WOULD, USED TO vs PAST CONTINUOUS, past habits, past states and repeated past actions, while improving their grammar accuracy, speaking, writing and ability to talk naturally and confidently about past experiences and memories in English.