The two structures have different subtle difference, even though they can both be used to talk about past habits or repeated actions. 1. Past time + S + would + bare infinitive + O - This structure is often used to describe repeated actions or habits in the past. It typically suggests a certain routine or regular activity, often with a feeling of nostalgia. - "When I was a child, I would play outside every evening." - This sentence implies a repeated action or habit that happened in the past (playing outside every evening). Note: "Would" in this sense doesn’t work well for describing states or situations that simply "were" (like "be" or "know"). It’s mostly for actions. 2. S + used to + V (infinitive) - "Used to" can describe past habits, just like "would," but it’s also used to describe past states or situations that are no longer true. - "I used to live in New York." - This sentence suggests that living in New York was true in the past but is no longer true now. Summary of Key Differences: - Would: Often describes repeated actions in the past, particularly habits. - Used to: Can describe both past habits and past states or situations that are no longer true. Examples Comparing Both - "When we were kids, we would go to the beach every summer." (Focuses on the repeated action) - "We used to live by the beach." (Describes a past state that has changed) So, while they can overlap with actions, "used to" is more flexible and can also describe states.

These two structures, "S + would + bare infinitive" and "S + used to + infinitive", are indeed similar, but they have slightly different uses in English. Let’s break down the distinctions: 1. "S + would + bare infinitive" This structure is used to talk about repeated actions or habits in the past. It suggests intention or willingness and is often used with verbs of action rather than state (like want, know, believe). It usually requires context to establish the past time frame, often introduced by phrases like "When I was young..." or "In those days..." Example: "When I was a child, my father would take me to the park every Saturday." "Every summer, we would visit our grandparents by the beach." Here, "would" indicates a regular activity or behavior in the past. 2. "S + used to + infinitive" This structure also describes past habits or regular actions, but it can additionally refer to states that are no longer true. It doesn’t require as much context to make the past time clear; the phrase itself indicates a situation or habit in the past. Example: "I used to play basketball every weekend." (past habit) "She used to live in Paris." (past state) Here, "used to" can describe either actions or situations that were true in the past but no longer are. Summary of Differences "Would" is primarily for repeated actions and generally needs a past context. "Used to" can describe both repeated actions and past states without needing as much context. When to Use Each Use "would" if you’re focusing on a repeated, intentional action in the past. Use "used to" if you’re describing a past habit or state that contrasts with the present (no longer happening or true). Let me know if you'd like more examples or clarification!